Relentless innovation. Precision. Experimentation. Pushing boundaries in English winemaking. There's a risk that phrases like these sound like jargon - but the pursuit of perfection in English winemaking is at the heart of how our team works. Here, Mary Bridges, Head Winemaker, talks us through our boldest release to date, Oak Reserve 2019.
What inspired you to make Oak Reserve?
This wine came out of a spirit of exploration. Each year, we trial small quantities of wines in oak that don’t necessarily fit into our core range. Over time, these parcels build up, and we saw an opportunity to bring them together in a more purposeful way. At the same time, we’d introduced foudres to our winery – 4,000l large-format oak vessels – and were curious about how their character might play out in a sparkling wine. So, Oak Reserve became a way of bringing all of that together – traditional oak, foudres, and a bolder style we hadn’t explored before.
How is this wine different from anything Gusbourne has released before?
It really stands apart. It’s a Chardonnay – but unlike any other we make. It’s not close in style to our traditional Blanc de Blancs. This wine has real personality. It’s unashamedly generous and complex, with bold flavours and texture – more of a statement. If you love a rich, characterful style with real depth, this wine absolutely delivers.
Talk us through the winemaking. It sounds like a bit of a puzzle.
Yes – it’s a complex picture. The 2019 vintage gave us beautiful acidity and structure. We fermented and aged some of the Chardonnay in foudres – and this was only the second fill of those vessels. They brought this incredible tropical generosity to the wine: mango, pineapple, that kind of thing. Alongside that, we had parcels in more traditional oak barrels – both 228L and 500L formats – which contributed a classic toasty, savoury character. Each brought something different. The foudre adds plushness and amplifies the fruit, while the smaller barrels offer spice and structure.
We aged the foudre component for 32 months, and the barrel component for 22 months, then transferred it to stainless steel with full lees for further texture before blending. The final wine is about 3.6% new oak – the rest is a balance of seasoned oak formats. It’s also a Kent and Sussex blend: 80% Kent, 20% Sussex.
What does it taste like?
It’s full of flavour – rich, tropical fruit meets warm, savoury spice. You get citrus peel and oil on the nose, but also gingerbread, banana bread, that just-baked warmth. On the palate, it’s creamy and smooth, with a vibrant streak of acidity that keeps it fresh. It’s very long on the finish. This wine really fills the senses.
And how would you serve it?
Because it’s so expressive, it needs food with a bit of sweetness, spice or smokiness. One of my favourite ideas is pairing it with tacos al pastor – slow-cooked pork and pineapple with chili. The freshness of the wine cuts through the richness, and there’s a lovely interplay between the fruit and the spice. It would also be great with roasted white meats or something like spiced cauliflower.
Who is this wine for?
If you love bold, generous wines – think richer styles of white Burgundy or barrel-aged sparkling wines from Australia or California – then you’ll find a lot to love here. It’s a wine with confidence and big personality.
Gusbourne Oak Reserve 2019 is available this autumn from Gusbourne.com
