Gusbourne announces new plantings

English wine estate Gusbourne has announced that next year it will plant an additional 57 acres of vines in West Sussex.

Scheduled for some point in 2020, the new plantings will boost the West Sussex vineyard to 136 acres and Gusbourne’s total plantings across its West Sussex and Kent sites to 288 acres.

Chief winemaker Charlie Holland, said: “Expanding our vineyard holdings in West Sussex gives us the opportunity to increase production, as well as the flexibility to blend from a wider selection of high quality fruit, as we seek to make the finest sparkling wines.”

First planted in 2004, vineyard manager Jon Pollard explained that the fruit from the chalky soils of the West Sussex vineyard, provide elegance and structure, drive and energy, whereas the clay and sand in our unique microclimate in Kent supply the power, intensity and sheer weight of rich, ripe fruit.”

English wine is going through a growth spurt currently with producers large and small investing in new plantings and expanded production facilities.

For more on English sparkling wine see the April edition of the drinks business.