Gusbourne: Award-Winning Vintage English Wines from the Garden of Kent
Nestled in the low-lying folds of the Romney Marsh, just inland from the Kent coast at Appledore, Gusbourne has, in little more than two decades, become one of the most decorated producers of vintage English sparkling wine in the world. From its first plantings in 2004 and the debut release of Brut Reserve 2006 and Blanc de Blancs 2006 in 2010, the estate has earned a reputation for slow, exacting craft, single-vineyard precision and a quietly confident style that has put English sparkling wine on the global fine-wine map.
A story rooted in Kent, with South African ambition
The original Gusbourne estate can be traced back to 1410 and the family of John de Goosebourne, whose crest of three geese still adorns Appledore Church and inspires the goose-mark that is embossed on every bottle. The modern wine estate, however, was conceived by Andrew Weeber, a South African with roots in Stellenbosch, who purchased the property in 2003 with a single, bold ambition: to make world-class English sparkling wine.
Andrew had studied how the Cape wine routes married hospitality with terroir, and wanted to build something similar in Kent. His very first hire, in 2004, was a young Plumpton viticulture student called Jon Pollard - employee number one - who has gone on to become Chief Vineyard Manager and to plant, train and harvest every vine on the estate. Together, they planted Butness Vineyard in May 2004 with Burgundian clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, followed by Cherry Garden and Pond Field in 2005 and Boot Hill in 2006 and 2007.
The first harvest was tiny - around 30 tonnes from Butness in 2006, enough for roughly 10,000 bottles - and was made off-site at Ridgeview while the Gusbourne team got to grips with their new vines. The debut vintages of Brut Reserve and Blanc de Blancs were released in 2010 to critical acclaim, marking the beginning of what would become a remarkable ascent.
The vineyards: 60 hectares of Kentish clay, flint and chalk
Gusbourne now farms around 60 hectares in Appledore, plus 29 hectares in West Sussex acquired in 2014. The Appledore vineyards sit on a mosaic of soils that range from heavier clay at the top of slopes to more amenable clay-loam lower down, underlain in places by chalk and flint. These soils, combined with a mild microclimate moderated by the sea a few miles to the south, are what give the wines their signature combination of ripe fruit and salty minerality.
The estate comprises a series of named sites, each with its own character. Butness remains the historical heart - a relatively uniform site with five different Chardonnay clones on two rootstocks and similar clonal diversity on the Pinot Noir. Cherry Garden and Pond Field followed in 2005; Boot Hill, the higher, more exposed plot, was planted in two tranches in 2006 and 2007 and is now considered the star of the show for quality. Commanders, Heartbreak and Mill Hill East were added during the 2014 expansion, each contributing its own personality to the single-vineyard bottlings.
Jon Pollard's philosophy is one of low-intervention, sustainable management. The team hand-picks every bunch, tending the soil and the vines with painstaking attention, employing regenerative practices including cover cropping, composting trials and, in 2025, joining the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation's One Block Challenge at Butness. The estate holds Gold accreditation from Sustainable Wines of Great Britain and is a founder member of the scheme.
Winemaking: a slow, patient craft
Winemaking at Gusbourne is, in their own words, a slow and exacting craft. Grapes are whole-bunch pressed and naturally settled, then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with a small percentage fermented in old French oak barrels for complexity. From fermentation through to blending, extended lees ageing, hand-riddling and disgorgement, every step is governed by rigorous in-house testing and blind tasting.
Sparkling wines are sealed under crown caps and aged on their lees for a minimum of two and a half years, with flagship releases like Blanc de Blancs often spending four years or more. After disgorgement, every bottle is sealed with a Diam Mytik cork - a technical cork engineered to eliminate cork taint - and left to rest further so the wine can recover and gain additional character.
For still wines, the team favours Burgundy-inspired barrel work. The new Gusbourne Chardonnay 2024, for example, is fermented and aged for nine months in 500-litre French oak puncheons (15% new), then aged on fine lees in stainless steel for a further six months before bottling. Boot Hill Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 spends 10 months in French oak (26% new).
The winemaking team is led by Head Winemaker Mary Bridges, who joined in September 2023 in time to head up that year's harvest - the estate's largest vintage to date. Mary has continued to push boundaries with wines like Agrafe 2020, a Chardonnay-based sparkling aged entirely under tirage cork (a method traditionally associated with Franciacorta), where every stage from bottling to disgorgement is done by hand.
The sparkling wine range
Brut Reserve 2022 - the everyday apéritif
The best-selling wine in the Gusbourne portfolio is the Brut Reserve 2022 (Non-member price £45; Member price £40). A classic three-variety blend of 54% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir and 14% Pinot Meunier, the 2022 vintage is opulent and elegant, with developed biscuit notes, toasted cobnuts and delicate spice leading to a long, zesty finish. It has now won more than 19 awards, including Gold at the 2025 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships, and is the perfect partner for seared scallops, smoked eels or fish and chips. A two-bottle pack of half-bottles (2021 vintage) is available for £60, ideal for smaller occasions.
Rosé 2020 - a sparkling for all seasons
Gusbourne's distinctive Rosé 2020 (Non-member £55; Member £45) is delicate pink in appearance with soft summer berries and floral notes on the nose. The palate shows bright red fruits driven by ripe strawberries, fresh cherries and redcurrants, with a crisp freshness and creamy, rounded texture. With at least 56 months on lees and 11% fermented in French oak, it is built like a serious gastronomic wine - a fact reflected by its listing at restaurants like Flemings Mayfair and the Cherwell Boathouse in Oxford. Pairs beautifully with grilled prawns, pork belly with caramelised apples or Eton Mess.
Blanc de Blancs 2020 - pure elegance
The signature Blanc de Blancs 2020 (Non-member £65; Member £55) is 100% Chardonnay aged a minimum of 52 months on lees. It is elegant, complex and quietly intense, with notes of grated ginger, freshly baked croissants, toasted hazelnuts and a distinct salty minerality on the long, zesty finish. Among its 29-plus awards, the 2019 vintage was named Best English Sparkling Wine at the CSWWC, Best in Show at Decanter 2023, and National Champion at the CSWWC. The 2006 and 2012 vintages of this wine have been served at the London 2012 Olympics opening party and at Buckingham Palace.
Blanc de Noirs 2020 - bold, brooding and full-bodied
The Blanc de Noirs 2020 (Non-member £65; Member £55) is 65% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay, made in a red-fruit-driven, precise style with a minimum of 35 months on lees. The 2020 vintage is plush and bold with flavours of ripe raspberry, red apple and blueberry, balanced by a wet-stone mineral note and a long, persistent finish. A gold-medal winner at the 2025 CSWWC, it has earned six major awards and is the most awarded English Blanc de Noirs of recent years.
The still wines
While sparkling is the headline, Gusbourne has quietly built an award-winning still wine portfolio from its Kent vineyards.
- Gusbourne Chardonnay 2024 (£40) - a bright, vibrant expression from hand-picked Kentish fruit, with citrus, nectarine and crunchy pear lifted by a chalky mineral note and white-pepper finish. A pale straw wine of lovely energy and focus, ideal with oysters, fruits de mer or a creamy goat's cheese.
- Pinot Meunier Single Vineyard Mill Hill East 2022 (£35) - a soft, fruit-driven still red with red cherries, ripe blueberries and an enticing floral note. Pale ruby in the glass with supple tannins and a stony mineral character on the finish. Won Silver at IWC 2024.
- Chardonnay Boot Hill Vineyard 2022 (£55) - a single-vineyard still Chardonnay, muscular and structured with ripe citrus, tropical and stone fruit, toasted nuts, forest floor and a peppery note. Gold medal at the 2026 International Wine Challenge.
- English Rosé 2025 - pale pink, brimming with summer berries, strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant, blossom, ginger and orange zest. Crafted from 100% estate Pinot Noir from Lower Mill Hill and Heartbreak vineyards. Sold out at the time of writing, with the next vintage due in 2027.
- Pinot Noir 2022 - the 2022 vintage was named Best English Red at the 2024 IWC Awards. Now sold out, but the wine remains a benchmark for cool-climate English Pinot with its morello cherry, wild raspberry and earthy minerality.
Limited Editions and the prestige cuvée
For collectors and connoisseurs, the Limited Editions range showcases Gusbourne's most artisanal projects:
- Gusbourne Agrafe 2020 (£85) - 100% Chardonnay, aged entirely under specialised tirage cork, requiring painstaking hand-disgorgement. A first in English winemaking.
- Oak Reserve 2019 (£75) - 50% fermented in 4,000-litre foudres, 50% in a mixture of 500-litre and 228-litre barrels. Bold, structured, spicy and generous.
- Blanc de Meuniers 2019, Boot Hill Vineyard (£95) - 100% Pinot Meunier from the celebrated Boot Hill plot. Generous and perfumed, with morello cherry, blueberry and refined finish.
- Blanc de Blancs 2019, Butness Vineyard (£95) - the debut single-vineyard wine from Butness, with honey-citrus and stone fruit on the nose.
- Blanc de Blancs 2019, Commanders Vineyard (£95) - pale straw, elegant and precise with toasted almonds and brioche.
- Blanc de Blancs Cork Aged 2013 (£105) - over a decade on cork, with developed notes of freshly baked bread, toasted nuts and soft spices.
Fifty One Degrees North - the prestige cuvée
The pinnacle of the Gusbourne portfolio is Fifty One Degrees North 2016, named after the precise latitude of the vineyards. Made only in exceptional vintages, from 67% Chardonnay and 33% Pinot Noir, the wine is aged on its lees for more than six years. The 2016 vintage has been called "England's most premium sparkler" by Christina Pickard of Wine Enthusiast, who scored it 98 points and ranked it No. 2 in the Wine Enthusiast Top-100 Best Wines of 2025. It also won Gold at the 2025 CSWWC. Available as a 75cl bottle (£195) or Magnum (£395), it is the ultimate expression of modern English sparkling winemaking.
Magnums and the members-only Library
Magnums are a particular speciality at Gusbourne, not only for the sense of occasion they bring but also because the format is widely considered superior for bottle ageing. The current magnum lineup includes Brut Reserve 2019 (£95), Rosé 2017 (£120), Blanc de Noirs 2018 (£135), Blanc de Blancs 2018 (£135), Pinot Meunier Mill Hill East 2022 (£75) and Fifty One Degrees North 2016 (£395).
Members also gain access to the Library Wines - rare late-disgorged and cellar-aged releases, including the 2016 Blanc de Blancs and Rosé Cellar Releases (both disgorged on the same day, 23 March 2026, to mark the 20th vintage anniversary), a 2015 Rosé, a 2018 Blanc de Blancs, a 2019 Blanc de Noirs, a 2013 Brut Reserve Late Disgorged, a 2019 Chardonnay Guinevere Magnum and a 2020 Brut Reserve.
Membership: Explored and Collectors
Gusbourne runs two membership tiers. Explored costs £540 a year (or £45 a month) and includes a bottle of still or sparkling Gusbourne delivered every month, a Sparkling Tasting Flight voucher for four, preferential pricing on classic wines, access to Library wines, preview access to new releases and a dedicated membership concierge.
Collectors, at £800 a year, is the most prestigious tier. Each quarter, members receive three bottles of hand-picked rare wines, often including Fifty One Degrees North, plus first access to new releases, two Collectors-only tasting events, priority booking on coveted events and exclusive access to wines unavailable to the general public.
A membership gift (£540 Explored or £800 Collectors) makes a thoughtful present: a beautifully presented welcome pack with welcome gift, plus one year's prepaid membership. Gift cards are valid for six months from purchase; the membership begins from the date the recipient activates it.
Gifting
Gusbourne offers one of the most comprehensive gifting programmes in English wine. The Rosé and Blancs Gift Set (£120) pairs the 2020 Rosé with the 2020 Blanc de Blancs in a wooden gift box; the Blancs and Noirs Gift Set (£130) pairs the Blanc de Blancs 2020 with the Blanc de Noirs 2020. Single-bottle gifts come in elegant complimentary packaging with free UK mainland delivery and the option to add a personalised card. Digital gift cards (valid for 12 months) let the recipient choose how to spend their gift - wine, accessories, experiences or events.
For something truly special, the Westley Richards x Gusbourne wine carrier (£300) is a bespoke hand-stitched leather single-bottle carrier from the Birmingham gunmaker, presented with a bottle of Fifty One Degrees North 2016.
The Nest: cellar door and tasting room
The Nest is Gusbourne's award-winning cellar door and tasting room, opened in 2017 and set among the vines at Appledore. It houses three private tasting spaces - The Winemaker's Library, The Cellar and The Hide - as well as the tasting room itself with views over Boot Hill vineyard and across to the coast. The shop is open for wine sales seven days a week, 10am to 5pm.
During summer 2026, The Nest is open until 7pm every Saturday evening in June, July and August, with a Vineyard Platter or Sparkling Tasting Flight at 4.30pm, plus walk-in wine by the glass and a bar menu of snacks and sharing boards.
Sparkling Tasting Flight - £30
A relaxed, self-guided tasting of the four classic Gusbourne sparkling wines - Brut Reserve, Rosé, Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs. Approximately one hour; no booking required for groups under a certain size.
Classic Vineyard Tour and Tasting - £50
A guided walk in the vines followed by a tutored tasting in the stunning tasting spaces overlooking the Kent countryside. 90 minutes.
Limited Edition Wines Tasting Flight - £75
A short tour followed by a tasting of the most luxurious and limited wines, including the prestige bottling Fifty One Degrees North. 90 minutes.
Estate Tour with Lunch - £120 (Members £100)
The best-selling and most popular experience. The day begins at 11am with a chilled glass of sparkling in the vineyards, followed by a leisurely tour, an extended tasting of classic and rare-release wines, then a seasonal three-course lunch paired with more Gusbourne wines. Finishes around 3.30pm. Five-star rated on TripAdvisor and recently named among the World's 50 Best Vineyards (ranked #28 globally for visitor experience).
Vineyard Platter for Two with Wine - £90 (Members £80)
A relaxed picnic-style platter for two, served with a bottle of Brut Reserve (upgradable to Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs or a flight of four) and showcasing local Kentish produce: artisan cheeses, charcuterie, fresh bread, salads and something sweet. Served on the terrace in summer or in the tasting room in winter. 1 - 2 hours, arrive between 12 noon and 1pm.
Icons Experience with Lunch - £175 (Members £155)
An exclusive tour, masterclass and four-course lunch exploring the finest, rarest and most luxurious wines in the Gusbourne cellar. 4 hours, finishing around 3.30pm.
Harvest Estate Tour with Lunch - £120 (Members £100)
A special edition of the Estate Tour running across 10th, 11th, 13th, 17th, 18th and 20th September 2026, taking guests behind the scenes during the grape harvest. Depending on the weather, guests may taste perfectly ripened grapes straight from the vine, watch as fruit is hand-picked, see freshly harvested grapes arriving at the winery, and even sample juice straight from the press - the very first stage in creating the 2026 vintage.
Corporate experiences and private events
Gusbourne hosts corporate entertaining, leadership meetings, client events and private celebrations across seven distinct spaces, accommodating groups from 10 to over 200:
- The Nest - seats up to 32, intimate and atmospheric with vineyard views.
- The Hide - seats up to 20, light-filled above the winery with a private balcony.
- The Winemakers' Library - seats up to 20, the most intimate space, with private winery access.
- The Cellar - seats up to 16, immersive setting within the working winery itself, overlooking barrels, foudres and stainless-steel tanks.
- The Nest Garden - seats up to 80, covered vineyard terrace for larger informal receptions.
- Boot Hill Garden - seats up to 36, covered outdoor space at the highest point of the vineyard.
- Boot Hill Deck - seats up to 18, elegant open-air setting among the Pinot Noir vines.
Typical corporate experiences include a welcome glass of sparkling, a private estate tour, a guided tasting of four Gusbourne wines and a three-course wine-paired lunch. Pricing is tailored to each group. The corporate team manages all bookings through corporate@gusbourne.com and on 01233 884680.
For private celebrations - birthdays, anniversaries, engagements - the standard private lunch, tour and tasting itinerary runs from 11am to 3pm and starts from £120 per person plus £300 room hire. Head Chef Anthony Coppard creates refined, seasonal menus showcasing the best of Kent's produce.
Upcoming events calendar
The 2026 calendar at Gusbourne includes a full programme of public and members-only experiences. Highlights include:
- Gusbourne Wine Safari and Lunch - Sunday 16 August 2026 (£60) - a relaxed stroll through the vineyard tasting four sparkling wines, finishing with a Vineyard Platter in The Nest Garden.
- Members' Late Summer Lunch - Monday 31 August 2026 (Bank Holiday, £80) - three-course lunch paired with award-winning wines.
- Harvest Estate Tour with Lunch - various dates 10 - 20 September 2026 (£120) - see the harvest in action.
- Members' Autumn Celebration Tasting at The Nest, Appledore - 25 - 27 September 2026 (complimentary for members and one guest).
- Autumn Celebration Tasting at Glaziers Hall, London - 17 - 18 October 2026 (£45; complimentary for members) - walk-around tasting across three stunning spaces including the iconic River Room.
- Festive Estate Tour and Lunch - 27 November to 20 December 2026 (£120) - a winter twist on the classic Estate Tour.
- Members' Christmas Lunches - selected dates across November and December 2026 (£70).
Where to find Gusbourne
The estate sits just a 15-minute drive from Ashford International - trains run from London St Pancras International and Stratford International every 15 minutes. From Rye, the estate is a 10-minute drive. Although Appledore station looks closest on the map, it is not served by taxis or regular buses. ETM Cars is Gusbourne's preferred taxi partner, with a set rate of £30 from Ashford International.
UK mainland delivery is free on all wine orders, with dispatch usually the next working day. International orders are available through a network of trusted partners across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australasia.
Sustainability and awards
Sustainability is woven into every aspect of the estate. The team holds Gold accreditation from Sustainable Wines of Great Britain, sources 99% renewable energy in the winery, has reduced winery bottling waste to zero and measures water use vintage by vintage. Butness Vineyard is taking part in the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation's One Block Challenge, and the wider estate is committed to biodiversity, soil health and a long-term reduction in carbon footprint.
Gusbourne is the only three-time winner of the IWSC English Wine Producer of the Year and was named Walpole British Luxury Brand of the Year 2025. In 2024, the estate received the King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade. Gusbourne wines have been selected to supply the Royal Collection's English Sparkling Wine for the Platinum Jubilee (2022) and for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla (2023). The wines have been poured at Buckingham Palace, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, The Clove Club, the Lanesborough, Whatley Manor, Cowdray Park, Somerset House, Opera Holland Park and the Spirit of Tenterden Festival.
Plan your visit
The estate is open daily from 10am to 5pm including bank holidays. The shop at The Nest sells wine seven days a week, and self-guided vineyard walks and walk-in wine by the glass are available without booking on most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in summer. A full programme of tours, tastings, private lunches and seasonal events runs throughout the year, set against the rolling Kentish vineyards of the Romney Marsh.