When we asked Nikki Tibbles, founder of renowned florist Wild at Heart, to create a limited-edition bouquet in collaboration with Gusbourne’s Global Ambassador Laura Rhys, the result was a sophisticated and fragrant arrangement that beautifully evokes the character and elegance of our signature Blanc de Blancs.
Our vineyard in Kent – aka the Garden of England – provided a natural canvas for inspiration. Soft, rolling hills, undulating rows of vines, woodland, wildflower meadows and the gentle green landscape that surrounds us. Humming with biodiversity, our healthy vineyards and the land that surrounds them attract insects, bees, birds and other wildlife – an idyllic setting that sparks the imagination. And of course, the roses. At the end of each row of vines we plant a rosebush to indicate the grape variety. White for Chardonnay, red for Pinot Noir and a peachy-pink for Pinot Meunier.
Taking her cues from the terroir, alongside some descriptive tasting notes from Laura, Nikki began to pull together ideas about palette, aroma, shape to create a bouquet that complements the story and expression of our Blanc de Blancs.
“Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs is the very best expression of Chardonnay,” says Laura. “That means citrus notes of pink grapefruit and lemon peel. And also white peach, ripe stone fruit and a hint of green apple.”
The flinty soil in our West Sussex vineyard, where much of our Chardonnay is grown, also brings a salty minerality to the Blanc de Blancs – a wine of elegance, poise and precision. Words that perfectly describe Nikki’s final bouquet.
She used hypericum to represent the grapes, pale azore to reflect the wine’s light golden colour, ammi and soft foliage in a nod to the Kent vineyards and honey-scented wax flower in honour of the bees that buzz around the vineyards. Further inspired by the bottle’s parchment labels, Nikki included white mondial roses.
Wild at Heart’s Gusbourne Bouquet Gift Set, inspired by our vineyards and our tasting notes, is available to buy now direct from Wild at Heart and includes a bottle of our Blanc de Blancs 2016.
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