2020, Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs

Gusbourne farm chalk and greensand at Appledore in Kent, and their Blanc de Blancs shows what English Chardonnay can do given a warm year. The 2020 is all Chardonnay, made by the traditional method — second fermentation in bottle, long lees ageing — the same way Champagne is built.

The fruit was hand-picked across September and October, whole-bunch pressed, with a small portion (under a tenth) fermented and aged in French oak to add texture. It then spent around forty-two months on the lees, which is where the toast and depth come from. The result is a Brut that stands on its own terms rather than as an imitation.

In the glass it is pale gold with a fine, steady mousse. The nose runs from lemon peel and green apple to white peach, chalk dust and a lick of buttered toast off the lees. The palate is where the English acidity tells — bright, precise, cut with citrus — while creamy lemon-posset richness and a touch of tarte tatin fill out the middle. The finish is long, mineral and dry.

Drink it now as a statement apéritif, or cellar it a few years to let the toast build.

How to Serve

Chill to 8-10°C and don't overdo it — over-chilling flattens a wine this expressive. Use a white-wine glass so the citrus and toast can show. Open on the day.

Where to Drink It

Brat, Shoreditch — wood-fired fish and English fizz. The River Cafe, Hammersmith — a serious list that champions England. Planque, Haggerston — cellar-minded, pours grower and English by the glass.

Food Pairings

Native oysters, or grilled Dover sole.