“I didn’t just believe we could make exceptional English Sparkling wine. I knew we could make wine that would stand up to the best in the world.” – Gusbourne Founder, Andrew Weeber.
A Brief History of Time
The original Gusbourne Estate in Appledore, Kent dates back to 1410. The de Goosebourne family crest was made up of three geese and can be found in their local parish church in Appledore – nowadays, each and every bottle of wine crafted at Gusbourne carries a contemporary goose crest in honour of its heritage. This ‘Goosemark’ is a symbol of trust, representing their pursuit of uncompromising quality.
In 2004, when Andrew Weeber took over the Gusbourne Estate he had a clear vision and a single goal: to create English Sparkling Wines that would stand up alongside the very finest offerings from across the globe. The first vines were planted that year and they have had their sights set on perfection ever since.
A deep respect for nature, an uncompromising quest for quality and a fastidious approach to detail is at the heart of everything they do – from the way they grow their grapes to the way they age their wines.
Focusing on the classic Champagne grape varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, they believe that the only way to ensure the quality of their grapes is to grow those themselves. That’s they plant predominantly Burgundian clones and why all the grapes used in their winemaking are sourced solely from Gusbourne vineyards.
The uniqueness behind Gusbourne wines is largely to do with where it is made. They have unique set microclimates which all produce wines with individual but complementary characters. Their primary aim as winemakers is to try to express these individual characters. To do this, they don’t buy or sell grapes – all Gusbourne wines are made from grapes grown by their diligent vineyard team. This not only gives them complete control of the quality but allows them to produce wines with a real sense of place. Equally, all of their wines reflect the year in which they were made, as they only produce single vintage wines.
Their first export left for the USA in 2013. They are continuing to grow and develop their international reach. They are currently available in 16 countries around the world and this number continues to grow as they expand into new places. The next few years will also see the release of some exciting new projects for Gusbourne.
In Japan, Berry Bros & Rudd are their current distributors, based in Tokyo but they distribute around the country.
In the first quarter, they joined the Japan Awards 2019 which earned them several medals for their wines which truly show the quality that they have been maintaining since the company’s inception.
For more information about their wines – Click here
