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.
Winemaking: Parcels of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier were whole-bunch pressed and fermented for 7-10 days in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks; 11.0% was fermented and aged in French oak barrels.
Soils: Largely clay, with subsoils including sand in Kent, and chalk soils with flint loam in West Sussex.
Weather in 2020: Mild spring temperatures resulted in budburst at the start of April. Shoot development was favourable through the early part of the season with warm temperatures creating steady growth towards flowering, which began in early June. Completion of flowering by end of June set us up well for a mid to late September start to harvest. Weather during ripening remained dry and ideal temperatures allowed for near perfect build of sugar levels and flavour profiles. Harvest commenced at the end of September and was complete by early October.
Technical Information:
Grape Varieties: 59% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir & 12% Meunier
Region: Appledore, Kent
Lees Ageing: 4.5 years
Dosage: 8 g/l
Bottling date: June 2021
Disgorged: April 2025
pH: 2.95
Drink: Now to 2032
Tasting Note: The nose is brimming with ripe raspberries, strawberries and white peach, alongside delicate notes of orange blossom. On the palate, the wine is elegant and complex, with bright summer berries, nectarine and orange zest, a touch of soft spice, alongside fresh ginger and toasted nuts. Fruit driven yet poised, there is an elegant mineral character running through the wine, leading to a long, elegant 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