Gusbourne - Middle Barn South

Gusbourne: A Defining Estate in England's Premium Sparkling Wine Story

Set among the gentle, wind-shaped farmland of the Walland Marsh in Appledore, Kent, Gusbourne is one of the defining names in modern English winemaking. Three times named IWSC English Wine Producer of the Year, ranked #28 in the World's 50 Best Vineyards, and crowned Walpole British Luxury Brand of the Year 2025, the estate has built its reputation on a single, uncompromising premise: that the only way to guarantee quality is to grow, make and bottle every drop of wine from grapes harvested exclusively in its own vineyards.

A Brief History: From Goosebourne to Ground-Breaking Vintages

The original Gusbourne estate was founded in 1410 by John de Goosebourne. His family crest, featuring three geese, still adorns Appledore Church and inspired the signature goosemark that appears on every bottle today. The modern estate began in 2003, when Andrew Weeber, a South African entrepreneur with roots in Stellenbosch, purchased the property and set out to create world-class English sparkling wine.

The first vines - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier - were planted in 2004 at Butness vineyard in Appledore, followed by Cherry Garden and Pond Field in 2005 and Boot Hill in 2006 and 2007. The inaugural 2006 vintage was made off-site at Ridgeview while the winery was constructed; Brut Reserve 2006 and Blanc de Blancs 2006 were released in 2010 to critical acclaim. The debut was followed by a rapid acceleration: served at the London 2012 Olympics; a state-of-the-art winery completed in 2016; the award-winning cellar door, The Nest, opened in 2017; and the first English still wine to win a Decanter Platinum Award - Pinot Noir 2015.

In 2022, Gusbourne was commissioned to supply the Platinum Jubilee English Sparkling Wine for the Royal Collection, and the same year launched the inaugural vintage of its prestige cuvée, Fifty One Degrees North. In 2023, the estate produced the Royal Collection's English Sparkling Wine for the coronations of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and Mary Bridges was appointed Head Winemaker. The King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade followed in 2024; 2025 brought Walpole British Luxury Brand of the Year and entry into the Top 50 World's Best Vineyards. In 2026, Gusbourne celebrates the 20th anniversary of its first vintage, marked by landmark wine releases and an artistic collaboration with Margate artist Lily Mixe.

The Estate: 60 Hectares of Kentish Terroir

Gusbourne grows the three classic Champagne grape varieties - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier - across 60 hectares in Appledore, Kent, with a further 29 hectares in West Sussex added in 2014. The predominantly Burgundian clones yield smaller volumes of intensely flavoured fruit, and thrive in the estate's distinct microclimates and exceptionally mild conditions. Today the estate farms six named sites, each with its own terroir:

• Butness - the original 2004 planting, home to vine No. 1, a varied mix of Burgundian clones on heavier clay at the top of the slope.
• Cherry Garden & Pond Field - planted 2005, these complete the trio of varieties on the early Kent sites.
• Boot Hill - 2006/2007 plantings, often called the "star of the show" by Vineyard Manager Jon Pollard; the source of single-vineyard Blanc de Meuniers and still Chardonnay.
• Commanders, Heartbreak & Mill Hill East - added in 2014 to expand the range of terroir expression.
• Lower Mill Hill & Heartbreak - south-facing ancient escarpment sites now producing the still English Rosé.

A low-intervention, increasingly regenerative philosophy underpins the work. The estate is a founder member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain, achieved Gold accreditation in its most recent sustainability audit, joined the One Block Challenge run by the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation at Butness, and operates its winery on 99% renewable energy with zero bottling waste. All fruit is hand-picked at optimum ripeness by a team led by Jon Pollard, employee "No.1" who has tended these vines since 2004.

Winemaking: Patience, Craft and the Traditional Method

Gusbourne's house style prizes precision over intervention. Grapes are whole-bunch pressed and naturally settled, then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with carefully judged portions in old French oak barrels and foudres. Bottling, riddling and disgorgement follow traditional méthode champenoise practice; bottles are hand-stacked in cellar to begin extended lees ageing, sealed with Diam Mytik corks before final disgorgement. The minimum lees ageing is set well above the Champagne baseline - typically 26 months for Brut Reserve, 35+ months for Blanc de Noirs, more than 48 months for Agrafe, and over six and a half years for the prestige Fifty One Degrees North.

Each vintage is blind-tasted and blended by Mary Bridges, Lead Winemaker Alastair Benham and Master Sommelier Laura Rhys. If a year does not deliver the quality Gusbourne demands, the wine is not released. Every bottle that does reach you is, in the estate's phrase, "an authentic reflection of a time and place."

The Wines

Sparkling Wines: The Classic Range

• Brut Reserve 2022 - £45 per bottle (£40 for Members). The best-selling Gusbourne wine is a classic blend of 54% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir and 14% Pinot Meunier, with 26 months on lees. Orchard fruits, toasted cobnuts and zesty finish. Buy Brut Reserve 2022.
• Rosé 2020 - £55 (£45 for Members). A delicate pale-pink sparkling with wild strawberry, cherry and white-peach notes, lees-aged for a minimum of 56 months. Buy Rosé 2020.
• Blanc de Blancs 2020 - £65 (£55 for Members). Gusbourne's signature 100% Chardonnay sparkling, defined by grated ginger, croissant, toasted hazelnuts and a long salty-mineral finish; minimum 52 months on lees. Buy Blanc de Blancs 2020.
• Blanc de Noirs 2020 - £65 (£55 for Members). A bold red-fruit-driven Pinot blend (65% Pinot Noir, 25% Meunier, 10% Chardonnay) with 35+ months on lees. Gold medal winner at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships 2025. Buy Blanc de Noirs 2020.

Half Bottles and Magnums

For one-off suppers or grand occasions, the Brut Reserve 2021 half-bottle pack of two at £60 is the perfect format, and the magnum range - Brut Reserve Magnum 2019 (£95), Rosé Magnum 2017 (£120), Blanc de Noirs Magnum 2018 (£135) and Blanc de Blancs Magnum 2018 (£135) - adds palpable generosity to any table.

Still Wines: Cool-Clarity Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier & Pinot Noir

• Chardonnay 2024 - £40. A bright, vibrant, hand-picked Chablis-meets-English Still from Appledore, fermented and aged nine months in 500-litre French oak puncheons. Buy Chardonnay 2024.
• Chardonnay Boot Hill Vineyard 2022 - £55. Gold medal winner at the 2026 International Wine Challenge; structured and toasty from a single-vineyard plot. Buy Boot Hill Chardonnay 2022.
• Pinot Meunier Single Vineyard Mill Hill East 2022 - £35. A floral, juicy red-fruit still, ten months in French oak. Buy Pinot Meunier Mill Hill East 2022.
• English Rosé 2025 - 100% Pinot Noir still rosé (currently sold out; next vintage due 2027).
• Pinot Noir 2022 - Best English Red at the IWC Awards (currently sold out).

Fifty One Degrees North - The Prestige Cuvée

The pinnacle of the Gusbourne cellar, this singular vintage sparkler is named for the latitude of the vineyards that grow the fruit. Made only in the most exceptional years - a 67% Chardonnay / 33% Pinot Noir blend in the inaugural 2016 release - it is lees-aged for more than 67 months and bottled as both a 75cl at £195 and a Magnum at £395. The 2016 was named No. 2 in Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Best Wines of 2025 and awarded gold at the 2025 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. Explore Fifty One Degrees North.

Limited Editions and Single-Vineyard Wines

The Limited Editions are reserved for the most expressive parcels of fruit and the most exacting techniques:

• Agrafe 2020 - £85. A pioneering English 100% Chardonnay aged entirely under cork with a small oxidative influence, opening by hand with a butter knife. Gold medal, CSWWC 2025. Buy Agrafe 2020.
• Oak Reserve 2019 - £75. A bold, foudre-aged Chardonnay sparkling with pineapple, mango, gingerbread and a creamy, long finish. Buy Oak Reserve 2019.
• Blanc de Meuniers, Boot Hill Vineyard 2019 - £95. A 100% Pinot Meunier single-vineyard sparkling with summer berries, morello cherry and refined spice. Buy Blanc de Meuniers 2019.
• Blanc de Blancs, Butness Vineyard 2019 - £95. The debut single-vineyard wine from Butness; honey-citrus and toasted nuts. Buy Blanc de Blancs Butness 2019.
• Blanc de Blancs, Commanders Vineyard 2019 - £95. Pale, precise and salty-mineral from the Commanders plot.
• Blanc de Blancs Cork Aged 2013 - £105. Mature, leesy citrus with baked-bread notes from a decade of cork ageing.

Library & Cellar Releases - Members Only

Gusbourne maintains a library of late-disgorged and member-exclusive bottlings, including the 2016 Blanc de Blancs and Rosé Cellar Releases (both disgorged in March 2026 to mark the 20th vintage anniversary), the 2013 Brut Reserve Late Disgorged, and the 2019 Chardonnay Guinevere Magnum - all accessible only to Members via a signed-in account.

Gift Sets and Accessories

Beautifully presented wooden-cased sets make gifting effortless: the Rosé and Blancs Gift Set (£120) and the Blancs and Noirs Gift Set (£130) both pair two flagship 2020 vintage wines; Gusbourne digital Gift Cards are valid for 12 months and can be redeemed against wines or experiences. The bespoke Westley Richards x Gusbourne leather carrier, hand-made in Birmingham and presented with a bottle of Fifty One Degrees North 2016, is a Members' £300 collectors' piece.

Membership: Collectors & Explored

Gusbourne's two-tier wine club is the heart of the customer relationship, offering regular allocations of limited wines, preferential pricing, complimentary events and a dedicated concierge.

• Gusbourne Explored - £540 per year or £45 per month. A twelve-month subscription delivering one bottle of still or sparkling Gusbourne per month, a voucher for a Sparkling Tasting Flight for four, preferential member pricing, complimentary UK delivery and curated articles from Master Sommelier Laura Rhys. Join Explored.
• Gusbourne Collectors - £800 per year. The flagship tier ships three hand-picked rare and limited bottles quarterly (including access to Fifty One Degrees North allocations), preview access to new releases, two complimentary tasting events, preferential pricing, priority booking for in-demand experiences, and a welcome gift of Blanc de Blancs 2020 with two Gusbourne glasses. Join Collectors.

Both memberships can be gifted; gift membership cards are valid for six months from purchase and entitle the recipient to a full year of benefits upon activation.

Visit The Nest: Tours, Tastings & Experiences

Gusbourne's cellar door and tasting rooms - collectively known as The Nest - sit in the heart of the estate in Appledore, with views across Boot Hill vineyard and the marsh coast beyond. The Nest is open daily 10:00 - 17:00, including bank holidays, and is fully accessible, with golf buggies available for guests with restricted mobility. Visits are best pre-booked; walk-ins are welcomed for wine by the glass and a small platter menu on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Hosted Experiences

• Sparkling Tasting Flight - £30, 1 hour. A relaxed self-guided tasting of the four classic sparkling wines.
• Classic Vineyard Tour and Tasting - £50, 1.5 hours. A guided walk in the vines followed by a tutored tasting overlooking the Kent countryside. Book Classic Vineyard Tour.
• Estate Tour with Lunch - £120 (£100 for Members), 4 hours (finishes ~3.30pm). The best-selling experience: glass of sparkling on arrival, a hosted vineyard tour, an extended tasting and a three-course seasonal lunch with paired wines. Book Estate Tour with Lunch.
• Limited Edition Wines Tasting Flight - £75, 90 minutes. A short estate tour followed by a tasting of the most luxurious wines, including Fifty One Degrees North. Book Limited Edition Flight.
• Vineyard Platter for Two with Wine - £90 (£80 for Members), 1 - 2 hours. A generous, seasonal Kentish sharing platter with a bottle of Brut Reserve, served in the garden in summer or in The Nest tasting room in winter. Book Vineyard Platter for Two.
• Icons Experience with Lunch - £175 (£155 for Members), 4 hours. An exclusive masterclass on Gusbourne's rarest bottles, including library releases, followed by a four-course lunch. Book Icons Experience.

Seasonal and Members-Only Events

A rolling calendar of special events complements the core experiences. Highlights for late summer, autumn and Christmas 2026 include:

• Gusbourne Wine Safari and Lunch - Sunday 2 August and Sunday 16 August 2026, £60. A guided sociable stroll through the vineyard with four sparkling-wine stops and a Vineyard Platter to finish. Book Wine Safari.
• Members' Late Summer Lunch - Monday 31 August 2026 (Bank Holiday), £80. A three-course Members-only lunch. Members' Late Summer Lunch.
• Harvest Estate Tour with Lunch 2026 - Various dates, Thursday 10 - Sunday 20 September 2026, £120 (£100 Members). A behind-the-scenes harvest tour with grape-tasting in the vineyard and juice from the press. Book Harvest Tour.
• Members' Autumn Celebration Tasting at The Nest - Friday 25, Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 September 2026, complimentary for Members and one guest. Book Nest Tasting.
• Gusbourne's Autumn Celebration Tasting at Glaziers Hall, London - Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 October 2026, £45. A walk-around tasting across three spaces including the iconic River Room. Book Glaziers Hall Tasting.
• Festive Estate Tour and Lunch 2026 - Friday 27 November to Sunday 20 December 2026, £120. A winter walk, extended tasting and festive three-course lunch with paired wines. Book Festive Tour.
• Members' Christmas Lunches - Selected dates November & December 2026, £70. Members' Christmas Lunch.

Vouchers for tours and tastings are valid for 12 months and can also be purchased as gifts.

Corporate Experiences and Private Hire

Gusbourne hosts tailored corporate entertaining across a number of distinctive spaces - The Nest (32 seats), The Hide (20), The Winemakers' Library (20), The Cellar (16), The Nest Garden (80), Boot Hill Garden (36) and Boot Hill Deck (18). Offerings range from private tasting flights and four-wine tutored experiences to full-day agendas combining welcome drinks, a private vineyard tour, a guided tasting and a wine-paired three-course lunch. Co-branded gifts, wooden presentation sets and partnership pricing for hosted tastings off-site are all available. For pricing and availability, contact corporate@gusbourne.com or telephone 01233 884680. The Corporate Services brochure (2026) outlines the full offering.

Practical Information and How to Find Us

Address: Gusbourne, Kenardington Road, Appledore, Ashford, Kent, TN26 2BE. The estate is a 15-minute drive from Ashford International and 10 minutes from Rye; turn off Kenardington Road at the junction with Snargate Road. View on Google Maps. Trains from London St Pancras International and Stratford International run every 15 minutes to Ashford International; the preferred taxi provider ETM Cars charges a fixed £30 set rate to Gusbourne on production of the voucher code "Gusbourne". Uber is not available in Appledore. Complimentary parking is available on site.

For tour and tasting enquiries, email nest@gusbourne.com or call +44 (0)1233 884680 (open daily 10:00 - 17:00). For general and trade enquiries, contact info@gusbourne.com or call +44 (0)1622 809763; for international trade and distribution, email exports@gusbourne.com. Follow Gusbourne on Facebook, Instagram, X / Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest release news, awards announcements and event invitations.

Twenty years on from that first Butness planting, Gusbourne stands as the benchmark by which the English sparkling category is judged at home and abroad. Whether you taste it from a tumbler in the Kent sunshine, pour it at a celebration, or decant a single-vineyard magnum after a long cellar-ageing, every bottle carries the same conviction: that with the right site, the right craft and a great deal of patience, English sparkling wine can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.