Gusbourne Agrafe Twenty Twenty
Coming this autumn:
the anticipated second edition in our Agrafe series, vintage 2020. Producing using an unusual, artisan method which requires painstaking winemaking: every element of the process, from bottling to disgorging, is done by hand.
Mary Bridges, Head Winemaker at Gusbourne comments: “Agrafe is a nod to tradition, but it’s also a step forward in our understanding of how English sparkling wines evolve. The technique might seem like a small change, but it delivers a wine that is uniquely expressive – a Chardonnay with depth, complexity and tension.
Be the first to hear
Register your interest and be among the first to know when this exclusive limited-release wine becomes available later in autumn 2025.
A first in
English wine making
We selected this blend of estate-grown fruit for an experiment that’s unique in English wine: Agrafe ageing. This 2020 blend has been aged entirely under cork, allowing a small amount of oxygen to interact with the liquid while the wine gains rich, toasty flavours from its lees. The result is a luxurious wine which combines freshness and acidity with the complexity of cork ageing.
Alastair Benham Winemaker
Notes of lemon, lime peel and green apple, alongside toasted almond and pastry.
The wine is elegant, complex and poised, with a streak of freshness and minerality on the finish.
How to open your agrafe bottle
First chill your wine
Before you get started, make sure you've chilled your wine. This helps reduce the pressure in the bottle. The only kit you'll need to open your agrafe is a blunt-edged butter knife.
Stay in control
With one hand, grasp the neck of the bottle, positioning your thumb over the top of the cork. Then slide the blade of your knife between the bottle neck and staple.
Ease out the agrafe
Gently rock the blade to ease the staple open.
Keep the pressure on
Remove the staple and then recover the top of the cork with your hand. Keeping pressure on the cork, gently twist the bottle until the wine is open. Pour, and enjoy!
Gusbourne Agrafe Twenty Twenty
Analysis
Grape Variety:
100% Chardonnay
Alcohol:
12%
Titratable Acidity:
8.3g/l
Residual Sugar:
9.0g/l
pH:
2.90
Factsheets:
All will be downloaded as PDF
2020 2019Winemaking
Processing:
Whole bunch pressed and naturally settled for 24-36 hours.
Fermentation:
10 days under 20 degrees celsius 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 2021
Lees Ageing:
Minimum of 48 months under specialised 'Tirage cork'.
