Read the team's favourite wines for the season, from; Charlie Holland, our Chief Winemaker, Laura Rhys, Master Sommelier and Alastair Benham and Mary Bridges from our winemaking team.
Charlie Holland, our Chief Winemaker, shares his top-three wines to enjoy over the Christmas period.
For Christmas Day aperitifs: Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs Twenty Eighteen
A glass of Blanc de Blancs is the perfect start to Christmas Day,” says Charlie. “The 2018 is a great vintage and perfectly balanced, which means it’s lovely on its own as an aperitif. It also has a wonderful citrussy freshness that matches fantastically with smoked salmon blinis and gets the tastebuds going.”
With turkey and all the trimmings: Gusbourne Chardonnay Guinevere Barrel Selection Twenty Twenty
This is perhaps my favourite still Gusbourne wine to date,” Charlie says of our limited-edition Chardonnay. “It’s silky, smooth and elegant. We will be having a lightly chilled bottle with our Christmas lunch as it will pair perfectly with roast turkey.”
To usher in the New Year: Fifty One Degrees North Twenty Fourteen
This year saw the launch of our new prestige cuvée, Fifty One Degrees North. “I’ll be opening this wine as my indulgent celebratory bottle at midnight on New Year’s Eve,” says Charlie. “This luxurious and textural wine will no doubt add a very celebratory feel to the evening.”
Laura Rhys, Master Sommelier, recommend her favourite Christmas wines
While Christmas Dinner is cooking: Gusbourne Rosé Twenty Eighteen
In my house, we always open Gusbourne Rosé in the kitchen while we’re cooking – it’s perfect alongside all the nibbles,” says Laura. “Olives, nuts, home-made cheese straws, pâté on toast: it’s incredibly versatile in complementing a wide spectrum of flavours.”
For a relaxed Boxing Day: Gusbourne Rosé Still Twenty Twenty One
Whether your tribe opts for a bracing morning walk or fireside and films, you get to write the script on Boxing Day. It’s time for the chef to settle back and leave the family to enjoy plenty of cold cuts, Christmas chutneys and cheeses. And to drink? It might not be the most obvious suggestion, but a lightly chilled rosé will work brilliantly. “Rosé is always fun,” says Laura. “Plus it’s a natural partner to the sweet, spiced and savouriness of glazed, clove-studded baked ham.”
Alastair Benham and Mary Bridges, our rising-star winemakers, recommend their top-three festive bottles.
With Christmas goose: Gusbourne Blanc de Noirs Twenty Eighteen
This is a wine that really sings around Christmas time. It’s our most opulent classic wine, with bags of red fruit and spices such as gingerbread and nutmeg. While it may not be a traditional match, we’d pair Blanc de Noirs with goose. It’s depth and power make it the perfect partner to this rich, seasonal favourite.
For parties and celebrations: Gusbourne Brut Reserve Twenty Eighteen in magnum
Our recently crowned world champion Brut blend is a great wine for festive celebrations. The larger format has benefitted from extended ageing on lees, and is full of ripe orchard fruits and delicious, sweet pastry notes. This is the perfect size to share amongst a group of friends during the holidays.
To gift a fellow fine wine lover: Blanc de Blancs Twenty Twelve Late Disgorged
Hailing from the Olympic summer of 2012, our first Chardonnay-only Late Disgorged wine is still beautifully fresh, with typical Gusbourne purity. After 105 months on lees, the wine is packed full of bright green fruits, but has now developed lovely brioche and hazelnut praline characters. This is the perfect gift for anyone wanting to taste how special aged English Blanc de Blancs can be.
