2019, Gusbourne Rosé

Gusbourne farm in Appledore on the Kent marshes and across a second site in West Sussex, and everything in this bottle is estate-grown — Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier, picked from their own vines rather than bought in. That matters more in England than it does in Champagne, where growing your own is the norm rather than the exception.

The 2019 has a detail worth knowing: a small portion of barrel-aged red wine went into the blend before the second fermentation. That is where the wine's width comes from. Then 36 months on lees, and a dosage of 8.2g/l — enough to round the English acidity without turning the wine sweet. It took gold at the International Wine Challenge, and the judging was not generous that year.

Pale pink, with a light and delicate mousse. The fruit is proper English red fruit — strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant, and a stalk of rhubarb that I find in almost every good English rosé and rarely anywhere else. Red apple and nectarine sit behind it, with a twist of orange, then a flick of pink peppercorn and a fine mineral note running through. The finish is long and zesty and leaves you wanting the next glass, which is the whole job of a wine like this.

At £47.99 this holds its own against Champagne at the same money, and beats most of it on freshness. English sparkling has stopped being a curiosity, and bottles like this are why.

How to Serve

8–10°C, and reach for a white-wine glass over a flute — the red fruit and pink pepper need somewhere to go. Straight from a cold fridge you'll taste half of it, so give it ten minutes on the counter.

Where to Drink It

Brat in Shoreditch, where the grilled fish and the wine's acidity are made for each other. The Dandy on Maltby Street for a Saturday afternoon. Bentley's if the plan involves a dozen oysters and no rush.

Food Pairings

Smoked salmon, on brown bread, with a hard squeeze of lemon. The wine's red fruit sits happily against the oily fish and the bubbles clear the palate each time. Dressed crab is the other easy win.