Gusbourne is situated on a low altitude, south facing coastal escarpment and as recently as the 17th Century, Gusbourne Estate was situated on the shores of the ancient Kentish coastline. Repeated flooding of the River Rother laid down the silt soils that make up Romney Marsh, which now separates us from the sea by six miles. In 2004, Andrew Weeber took over the Estate driven by a clear vision and uncomprimising approach to producing world class, English grown, sparkling wine. The Gusbourne Estate consists of 90 hectares all own fruit, 60 in Kent and 30 in Sussex and is a publicly traded company on AIM, part of the London Stock Exchange.
Soil: Largely clay, with subsoils including sand and seashells in Kent, and predominantly chalk soils with flint loam in the South Downs in West Sussex.
Weather in 2021: Budburst began on 20th April with a record number of cold nights throughout the frost period. We luckily escaped the worst of these temperatures, but this was a sign of a turbulent season to come. Flowering started on the 24th June, 10-15 days later than usual, indicating a later start to harvest than we have been used to for some years. Higher levels of rainfall put pressure on the vineyard teams but also allowed good nutrient cycling from the soil to the vines resulting in very good quality canopy and wood for the coming pruning season. September and early October brought some much- needed sunshine and warmth allowing the grapes to ripen in time for a successful harvest that started in early October and finished in the first days of November.
Technical Information:
Grape Varieties: 71% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot Noir & 11% Meunier
Lees Ageing: 2 years
Dosage: 8 g/l
pH: 3.08
Bottling Date: June 2022
Drink: Now to 2030
Tasting Note: This blend highlights red fruit aromas of cherry and strawberry, which then develop into attractive fresh pastry notes with a touch of cinnamon and spice. With a bright streak of citrus fruit, the palate is clean and fresh whilst giving tones of soft stone fruit and a long, refreshing finish.
Gusbourne is situated on a low altitude, south facing coastal escarpment and as recently as the 17th Century, Gusbourne Estate was situated on the shores of the ancient Kentish coastline. Repeated flooding of the River Rother laid down the silt soils that make up Romney Marsh, which now separates us from the sea by six miles. In 2004, Andrew Weeber took over the Estate driven by a clear vision and uncomprimising approach to producing world class, English grown, sparkling wine. The Gusbourne Estate consists of 60 Hectares in Kent and 30 Hectares in West Sussex.
In 2017 Gusbourne became the only three-time winner of the 'English Wine Producer of the Year' at the International Wine and Spirit Competition, having previously won the award in 2013 and 2015.
Cellar Master:
Charlie Holland
Winery Location: Kent, England
Annual Production (bottles): Undisclosed