Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2014

GBW Wine of the Month: April 2019

Gusbourne’s Charlie Holland has been a winemaker that Great British Wine has followed closely over the last few years. His systematic, scientific approach, and knowledge of the many components that make up Gusbourne wines (sometimes as many as 90 individual wines), is hugely inspiring. He describes the Blanc de Blancs as “the truest expression of our terroir” and the 2014 vintages as a watershed moment for Gusbourne.

A small portion of the wine was fermented in old oak before the final blend was aged on lees for 42 months and released with a dosage of 7g/l.

The nose is sublime and vibrant, with red apple, hints of honeysuckle, nectarine and white peach, with noticeable minerality and a mealy, oaty complexity.

To taste, there’s an excellent poise and sense of honesty to this wine. The fruit is a little nervy; there is tangy apple and vibrant citrus, but it integrates so brilliantly with the supple mousse.

What a superb wine, and one with plenty of ageing potential.