It’s a philosophy, not a process. It’s about how people, place and vision work in harmony. It’s about leading with our heads and feeling with our hands. Instinct plus skill. Experience plus expert judgement. It takes time and meticulous care, and a deeply held appreciation for nature as the start point for tending our vines and creating our wines.
From ground to grape
Crafted, not made. It’s how Head Winemaker Charlie Holland describes our wines. Every bottle a true reflection of the whole team’s experience, skill and craftsmanship. Indeed “craft is in our nature” describes not just our wines but how we approach everything we do. It’s a single-minded vision that begins in the vineyard and guides us through every step of our winemaking. From ground to grape to glass, quality and craft are our constant companions.
Respect for our terroir is where it all starts – that unique combination of soil, place and weather. Understanding and working with two distinct microclimates that span our 60 hectares of vines in Kent and 30 hectares near Goodwood in West Sussex. There’s nowhere else exactly like it, and we’re very much at home in nature here.
By only using our own grapes from our own vineyards, we have full control over when we harvest, allowing our grapes to be left on the vine for as long as it takes to reach their maximum flavour potential. Knowing that exact moment to begin harvest isn’t a guessing game. It’s determined through data and chemistry, weather-watching and pure hard work in the vineyards. And from nearly two decades of learning what makes each year different from the one before.
From grape to glass
When those at-their-best grapes reach the winery, craftsmanship of a different sort takes the baton. Tasting, testing, blending, tweaking. Tasting again. Then into tanks or barrels or barriques – each chosen for a particular wine and result. Then time and patience take over as the wines age for years in our cellars.
And then, when the winemaking team compare notes and give the nod, the final stages of craftsmanship come into play. Bottling and riddling, in our distinctive black glass bottles, designed to preserve and protect their cargo from light-strike. The highest quality corks. The application of the Gusbourne label. And finally, each bottle is checked and hand-polished by our team before being carefully packed and sent out to you. An elegant reminder of everything that’s come before - of the craft in our nature, from the ground to your glass.
By gifting a bottle of vintage Gusbourne sparkling wine, you are gifting a truly hand-crafted, English product that is an authentic reflection of a time and a place in nature. A gift that has been years in the making.
You may also like...