Gusbourne

A complex and expertly made English bubbly from one of the nation's top estates, this opens with some struck match reduction. It adds to (rather than detracts from) the aromatic medley of toasted nut, citrus, melon rind and crushed rock. A laser beam of lemony acidity shines bright on the textural palate, and a fine, vigorous fizz seems to prickle the tongue for a full minute.

There are rare few places where sparkling wines have potential to rival Champagne, and England is one. Gusbourne is one of the country's top traditional method producers, based in Kent with 60 hectares, plus 30 more in West Sussex. This is an estate blend from both, with 62% chardonnay, 28% pinot noir, and 10% pinot meunier across predominantly clay and chalk soils. This was fermented primarily in stainless with a small portion seeing wood, before heading to bottle and a minimum of 24 months on lees (this bottle was disgorged February 2022 with 9 g/L). Toasty and creamy, led by red apple, pastry, and lemon peel, this is braced with a whip-smart lemony acidity which near about tackles the dosage, and shapes this to a saline and stony finish. I'd love to see the dosage drop just a touch to bring out the edge here more, but as is remains a friendly and highly capable fizz, able to tackle whatever the dinner table is offering.