Blanc de Noirs, Down Field Vineyard, West Sussex Twenty Nineteen
"English wines don’t need to taste like Champagne—or anywhere else—to be successful, though. Structure here tends to be lighter, acidity brighter, overt fruity aromatics more tame and reserve wines less prominent and younger; no matter what they attempt to do, English wines can’t fail to reflect their individuality.
Having said that, Gusbourne’s Blanc de Noirs from the West Sussex chalk of Downfield vineyard in 2019 is one of the first that might seem, to a student of Champagne, to reach under the English Channel and echo something tangible and grounded.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that this promise comes in the hands of the producer with one of the best reputations in the country for vineyard work. Or perhaps it’s a mirage. Either way, the story of what chalk does, or doesn’t, do for English sparkling wine is only in its early chapters."
93/100points - Tom Hewson, www.robertparker.com, August 2025
- Price
- £95
Free standard delivery to UK mainland.
WHAT ARE SINGLE VINEYARD WINES?
Single Vineyard wines are the cornerstone of what makes Gusbourne different: vintage wines which are an expression not just of a grape variety, but also of a specific site, chosen for its class and character.
With each passing year, we’ve made and tasted more than 200 base wines to refine our ideas about where our most exceptional terroirs are to be found.
Our chalk and flint vineyards in Sussex give grapes with freshness and elegance; our clay soils in Kent lend the fruit richness and depth.
It is then fascinating to experience these wines as a single-vineyard bottling rather than a blend. By zeroing in on a particular parcel of grapes, you truly experience the essence of that terroir and that year.
Pale golden in colour, with fine beads of bubbles in the glass. The nose is dominated by red apples, white peach and delicate red fruits. The palate shows soft, generous fruit character with wild strawberry, red cherry, stone fruits and a hint of orange citrus alongside a floral note. The creamy mouthfeel combines with a darker slatey minerality, soft clove spice and fresh, buttery pastry to bring complexity, leading to a long finish. Food Pairing: Delicious alongside richer fish or lighter meats such as pan-fried turbot with a creamy sauce, or a mushroom pithivier.
Blanc de Noirs, Down Field Vineyard, West Sussex Twenty Nineteen
Analysis
GRAPE VARIETY:
100% Pinot Noir
ALCOHOL:
12%
TITRATABLE ACIDITY:
9.6g/l
RESIDUAL SUGAR:
6.0g/l
PH:
2.94
Factsheets:
All will be downloaded as PDF
2019Winemaking
PROCESSING:
Whole bunch pressed and naturally settled for 12-24 hours.
FERMENTATION:
10 days at 18-20 degrees C using specialist sparkling wine yeast. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with a small percentage fermented in old oak barrels for complexity.
BOTTLING DATE:
July 2020.
LEES AGEING:
Minimum 48 months
