September 17, 2025 Joanna Nightingale

Ham Street - Biodynamics, Sustainability & Biodiversity

For the last seven years Lucie and Jules have been running Ham Street Wines whilst they both hold down full time jobs for an accountancy firm in the city. The couple are inspiringly passionate about wine, biodynamics, sustainability and biodiversity. In 2019 they purchased a plot of pasture land in Kent, neighbouring a woodland forest. Their aim, to grow a holistic self sustaining vineyard. They believe this is possible within a decade, and 7 years into their journey things are progressing in the right direction.

A south facing slope, with Romney Marshes at the base, not far from the sea has seemingly lent itself perfectly to growing grapes. The coastal wind protects the vines from frost. The compost from the adjoining forest (now protected woodland) has helped to develop underground networks, boosting communication between the plant life, resulting in strong defence systems for the vines.

Ham Street are now certified in Biodynamic practices, one of only 6 certified sites in the UK. Farming takes place according to the lunar calendar, cover cropping takes place to protect the soil, and every three years a new plant mixture is used. Currently 17 different grasses, legumes and nitrogen fixers are doing the job. Beautiful sketches of these feature on the wine labels. Firethorn bushes are planted at the end of the vines which ripen earlier in order to attract the predators such are egg laying flies, protecting the grapes when they come to ripen. Scientific and lab based analysis has helped the couple fully understand how nutrition runs through the vine which has enabled them to expedite their knowledge of biodynamics and the creation of a fully sustainable system.

(Firethorn bush providing protection to the vines)

Lucie and Jules understand that they might get smaller yields compared to their conventional farming neighbours but they are confident that they don’t fluctuate as much and nor does the quality. They control disease in a natural way and it is clear that the vines are more and more resilient as a result.

(Jules, Lucie, baby Isla and Peanut the dog)

In the winery they are off grid. There are no pumps, no pneumatic presses and they work by gravity. Everything is passed through the basket press and Lucie and Jules taste as they go. The first Ham Street vintage was released in 2022. They are now producing 15,000 bottles a year. The wines are complex, alive and delicate, never filtered or fined and sulphur is kept to an absolute minimum.

Here is a breakdown of what we have available at time of writing;

Chardonnay Bacchus 2023

Sitting somewhere on the white to orange spectrum, this blend of Chardonnay and Bacchus offers saline and mineral notes which are balanced with bright acidity. At just 10.2% alcohol is a perfect wine to accompany lunch.

Pinot Gris 2023

A skin contact expression of Pinot Gris which is an appealing peach colour in the glass. This is a serious wine with a beautiful texture. The palate is driven by minerality with subtle fruit and floral notes.

Carbonnay Carboy 2023

Only 105 bottles produced, this is not a bottle to miss out on. Beautifully balanced skin contact Chardonnay which has been aged in glass Carboys for 10 months. Medium, textured body with ripe, tropical fruit aromas. We also have a couple of 2022 in our cellar for a lucky customer. Drinking superbly after developing in bottle for a year.