Ham Street WinesKent's Only Biodynamic Vineyard
Lucie & Jules planted 16,000 vines on the edge of the marsh while working full-time jobs in accounting. Now certified biodynamic, no-till since 2020, producing natural wines with wild ferments and minimal intervention.
Kent
From Excel spreadsheets to vineyard rows—accountants turned regenerative farmers
Lucie Swiestowska and Jules Phillips planted Ham Street Wines in 2019 on the edge of Romney Marsh, just outside the village of Hamstreet in Kent. What started as a passion project to reconnect with nature while balancing careers in accounting quickly became an obsession with soil health and regenerative agriculture [^17^][^18^].
They planted over 16,000 vines across 10 acres—a mix of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Bacchus, and Pinot Gris. Their first harvest came in 2021, with inaugural wines released in 2022. But the real transformation came as they delved deeper into farming philosophy, realizing that healthy fruit and vibrant wines come from prioritizing soil health, promoting biodiversity, and minimizing disruption to the natural ecosystem [^17^][^24^].
"We want to create wines with life and soul that reflect the season and the love of the team and volunteers that join in the journey with us each year."
Beginning with organic practices, they achieved organic certification in 2022, then pushed further to become biodynamic certified in 2024—making them the only biodynamic vineyard in Kent you can visit. They consistently exceed minimum requirements: no-till since April 2020, utilizing teas and plants, working with biological inputs and micronutrients based on sap analysis. Their winery, completed in 2023, runs on off-grid solar power with vermicompost toilets and a hand basket press [^18^][^22^][^24^].
Beyond sustainable: biodynamic preparation, cover crops, and living soil
Ham Street operates under biodynamic principles certified by the BDA, viewing the vineyard as a self-contained ecosystem. They limit inputs, often opting for manual interventions instead of machinery. Biological inputs replace chemicals—cover crops and micronutrients based on sap analysis build healthy soils that support flourishing ecosystems [^16^][^18^].
Their no-till approach since 2020 preserves soil structure, protecting the fungal networks and microbiome essential for nutrient cycling. They work with the biodynamic calendar in the winery, using gravity for movements and wild yeasts for fermentation. Sulphur use is kept to an absolute minimum; wines are never fined or filtered [^16^][^24^].
The result is small batch natural wines made from their own grapes only, crafted to show off the best of each particular vintage. As they explain: "That means our wines will be different year on year, and some styles may only appear intermittently as we follow what nature gives us" [^16^][^19^].
- BDA Certified
- No-Till Farming
- Solar Powered
- Wild Ferments
- Gravity Fed
- Cover Crops
Lucie & Jules: Balancing spreadsheets and soil analysis
Lucie Swiestowska
Brings analytical precision from her accounting background to vineyard management. Passionate about regenerating food systems and the quality of well-farmed products. Leads the biodynamic preparations and sap analysis program [^18^][^24^].
Jules Phillips
The driving force behind Ham Street's curiosity-driven approach. Inspired by UK natural wine pioneers like Charlie Herring, Limeburn Hill, and Offbeat Wines. Manages the day-to-day vineyard operations alongside his finance career [^18^].
Field Blend, Pet Nat, Bacchus skin contact—vintage expressions from Romney Marsh
Field Blend
The most delicate iteration of their signature blend yet. 70% Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir with 15% Chardonnay, 10% Bacchus, and 5% Pinot Gris. Nine days of semi-carbonic maceration, then aged 8 months in old barrels. Intricate fruit, great length, with signature acidity present and correct. Delicately colored with a refreshing edge—the definition of their biodynamic terroir [^17^].
8 months old oak
Unfined/unfiltered
Minimal SO₂
Pet Nat
Beautifully effervescent and packed full of fruitful flavours—strawberries, rhubarb, red fruits, and elderflower with almond and saline notes on the finish. Made using the ancestral method where the wine completes fermentation in bottle, capturing natural carbonation. A true expression of the vineyard's biodiversity and wild yeast populations [^26^].
Wild yeast ferment
Red fruit forward
Saline finish
Bacchus
A Bacchus dressed to the nines using skin contact, old Burgundy barrel, and malolactic fermentation. This unconventional approach for English Bacchus creates alternate, complex profiles—teasing out textures and savory notes beyond the typical aromatic profile. The extended skin contact adds grip and structure while the malolactic softens acidity [^27^].
Old Burgundy barrel
Malolactic ferment
Textural complexity
Chardonnay
Part of their curiosity-driven experimentation—celebrating single varieties in their purest form. Wild fermentation, natural temperature control, and gravity movements allow the Chardonnay to express the unique microclimate of the Romney Marsh edge. These wines change year on year as Lucie and Jules follow what nature gives them, never forcing a style [^24^].
Gravity racking
Biodynamic calendar
The Cover Crop Art
Ham Street's beautiful bottle labels celebrate the cover crops and plants they use in their farming—without these plants, they would not be able to farm in the way they do. The living root systems prevent erosion, fix nitrogen, and provide habitat for beneficial insects [^18^].
These botanical illustrations are brought to life by Scottish artist and garden designer Thelma Wrightson, then made a reality by Nomad Rush designs. Each label tells the story of the vineyard's biological diversity, turning agricultural necessity into art [^18^].
- Phacelia
- Clover Mix
- Buckwheat
- Vetch
- Oats
- Mustard
- Rye
- Fava Beans