The Leather Bottle
A pub with rooms in Cobham village, built in 1629 and mentioned by Dickens in The Pickwick Papers.
Kent Wine Tours / Vineyards / Silverhand
Vineyard guide · Luddesdown
Visiting Silverhand Estate
Silverhand is a 900-acre organic estate in the Kent Downs near Gravesend, best known for its Silver Reign sparkling wine. Tours go round the vines by vintage Land Rover, and the cellar door and wine bar open every day.
Seasonal note: Walking tours and vineyard picnics run in summer only. Land Rover tours and the cellar door carry on through the year.
Silverhand at a glance
| Founded | Earliest vintage released 2018 |
|---|---|
| Known for | Silver Reign Charmat-method sparkling wine and the limited KYNG 2018 Blanc de Noirs |
| Grapes | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, plus Solaris for still wine |
| Open | Daily, 11am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 10pm |
| Booking | Book tours, tastings and evening events, the cellar door bar takes walk-ins |
| Tours from | £20 guided tasting, Land Rover tour £45 |
| Food | Cheese and charcuterie boards at the cellar door |
| Dogs | Not on tours, on short leads at the guided tasting and some events |
| Children | 12 and over on vineyard and winery tours, tastings 18 and over |
| By train | Sole Street (just over a mile), or Ebbsfleet International with a £50 pick-up |
Checked on the vineyard’s own website in October 2026.
About Silverhand
Silverhand Estate covers 900 acres at Luddesdown, in the Kent Downs National Landscape south of Gravesend. More than 600 acres are planted with vines, and the estate describes this as the largest single organic vineyard in the UK. The name comes from King Ludd, a legendary first-century king who, the story goes, lost his hand in battle and was given one made of silver.
The vineyard sits on chalk and flint soils and grows the three classic sparkling wine grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. It is farmed organically. Jacob and Romney sheep graze between the vines, rare-breed English Longhorn cattle are used on the pastures, and a conservation team looks after the woodland and chalk grassland. The estate also includes Luddesdown Court, a Grade I listed manor house with features from the Norman Conquest onwards, which is open for monthly tours.
Silverhand says it was the first vineyard in the UK to become carbon negative without using carbon offsetting, and it gained B Corp certification in 2026. Its first release was Silver Reign. The flagship KYNG 2018 is a 100% Pinot Noir sparkling wine aged five years on the lees, released in a wooden box designed by Lord Norman Foster.
The wines
Sparkling wine is the focus. Silver Reign Brut NV is a Charmat-method blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, and Silver Reign Rosé is made only from Pinot Noir. The traditional method wines are Classic Brut NV, aged two years on the lees, and Blanc de Blancs 2018. At the top of the range is KYNG 2018, a Blanc de Noirs made only in exceptional years, with a first release of 50 bottles. The certified organic still wines include Chardonnay, a dry unoaked Solaris, Bacchus and a still rosé. All the sparkling and still wines are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Where to buy them.
Tours and tastings at Silverhand
The cellar door and wine bar open every day, from 11am to 6pm Sunday to Thursday and 10am to 10pm on Friday and Saturday. From 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays there are cheese and charcuterie boards, from £25.99 for two, and wine flights; these evenings need a £5 per person deposit. In summer the estate adds a walking tour, the Vineyard Safari and picnics in the vines. Nature walks include a fungi walk on 25 October 2026. During harvest the winery is closed to visitors and tours include a virtual winery tour instead. As of October 2026 the estate’s pub, The Lion in Luddesdown, is closed for refurbishment. There are accessible routes to the vines and winery.
| Experience | Price | Length | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineyard and Winery Tour A ride through the vineyard in a vintage Land Rover, a walk among the vines, a tour of the winery and a guided tasting of five wines. At harvest a virtual tour replaces the winery visit. | £45 per person | About 1 hour 45 minutes | Friday to Sunday, with extra Saturday departures May to September |
| Guided Tasting A tutored tasting of five wines in the cellar door, with an introduction to tasting technique and the estate’s history. Over-18s only. | £20 per person | 45 to 60 minutes | Daily, on the hour from 1pm to 5pm |
| Luddesdown Court History Tour A guided tour of the Grade I listed manor house on the estate, with tea, coffee and a pastry. There is no step-free route. | £35 per person | 1 hour 30 minutes | First Sunday of the month, 10.30am |
| The Art of Pairing: Cheese A guided pairing of artisan English cheeses with three or five Silverhand wines at the cellar door. | £30 or £45 per person | About 2.5 hours | Last Thursday of the month, 7pm to 9.30pm |
Book these on the Silverhand website.
Where to stay
The Farm House
A pub and restaurant on West Malling High Street with 4 individually themed bedrooms a few steps from the bar.
Prices are often the same either way, so compare the booking site with booking direct.
Buy Silverhand wines
2 bottles in stock with our wine partners this week. Prices are for a single 75cl bottle.
Sparkling
Silverhand Classic Brut
A Chardonnay-led traditional-method blend with two years on lees, ripe peach, citrus and a little brioche.
£29.99at WinebuyersBuySparkling rosé
Silverhand Silver Reign Organic Rosé Brut
Organic pink fizz from Pinot Noir alone, made in tank, with wild strawberry and summer fruit.
£17at WinebuyersBuy
Getting there
The nearest station is Sole Street, on the line from London Victoria. It is a little over a mile from the estate as the crow flies, and the route is along country lanes. The estate offers a pick-up and drop-off from Ebbsfleet International, which has high-speed trains from St Pancras, for £50; book it by phone at least a week ahead. By car, the estate is on Luddesdown Road, a short drive from the A2 and M2 near Gravesend, at postcode DA13 0XE. There is accessible parking close to the main entrance.
Make a day of it
Silverhand is in the Kent Downs between Gravesend and Rochester. Rochester has its castle and cathedral, and the village of Cobham, with its Dickens connections, is close by. Meopham Valley Vineyard is the nearest other vineyard. Most of Kent’s other well-known vineyards are further south, around Maidstone, Ashford and the Weald, so they are better visited on a separate day.
See every vineyard you can visit in our Kent directory. Our other Kent vineyard guides: Chapel Down, Gusbourne, Balfour, Westwell, Warehorne.
Questions people ask
Is Silverhand Estate the largest vineyard in the UK?
Silverhand says it has the largest single organic vineyard in the UK, with more than 600 acres of vines on a 900-acre estate.
How much is a tour at Silverhand Estate?
The Vineyard and Winery Tour, by vintage Land Rover, costs £45 per person and lasts about 1 hour 45 minutes. A guided tasting at the cellar door costs £20.
Can you just turn up at Silverhand Estate?
Yes, for the cellar door and wine bar, which open every day. Tours, tastings and the Friday and Saturday cheese and wine evenings should be booked ahead.
Are dogs allowed at Silverhand Estate?
Dogs are not allowed on the vineyard and winery tours or at the cheese and wine evenings. Dogs on short leads are welcome at the guided tasting and some cellar door events, and assistance dogs are welcome throughout.
Can children go on Silverhand tours?
Children aged 12 and over can join the vineyard and winery tour. Wine tastings are for over-18s only.
How do I get to Silverhand Estate by train?
Sole Street is the nearest station. The estate also runs a £50 pick-up from Ebbsfleet International, which must be booked at least a week ahead.