2016 Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs
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Tasting notes
The 2016 Brut Blanc de Blancs (magnum) spent 76 months on lees. Lemon confit and fresh lemon zest on the nose dive into deep creaminess on the palate. Salted shortbread seems a mere afternote. This is gorgeous, linear, lithe and exquisite. The finest foam dissolves into creaminess with a pure, bright, singular note of the freshest, ripest Granny Smith apple. Purity, freshness and creaminess sing. Oh my, what a gorgeous and elegant wine—no frills, just purity and poise. Dosage is 9.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: August 2020.
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Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Tasted from magnum. Richer, sweeter, deeper, more smoky than its older peers. Notes of honey, grilled lemon, apricots. Sonorous and sine-curve sensuous. There is real amplitude here. Was the dosage higher, I wonder? It doesn't matter because the balance is there and the sweetness adds resonance. It would be beautiful with pithivier or tagines and curries made with dried fruit. (TC)
100% Chardonnay. Fruit from Kent. 100% malo. 42 months on lees. Bottled 2 to 5 May 2017. Dosage 8.3 g/l. Composed, well-integrated nose and really quite frothy. Transparent and very much a Blanc de Blancs in its bracing acidity. Just about ready! (JR)
100% Chardonnay. 'A mild spring resulted in a mid-April bud burst. The weather during flowering was warm and dry resulting in abundant fruit being set. Early August saw 50% of fruit dropped to intensify flavour and concentration. Harvest began in early October and resulted in fruit of exceptional quality.' Fruit from own vineyards in Appledore, Kent, and near Goodwood, West Sussex, on largely clay soils. Fermented mostly in temperature-controlled (18–20 °C) stainless-steel tanks with a small percentage in old oak barrels. Full malo. Bottled May 2017. Minimum 42 months on lees. TA 7.9 g/l, pH 3.01, RS 8.3 g/l. Tasted blind. Very light nose, and a very pale colour. Bright, lemony fruit and a little astringent on the end – very youthful. Went flat fairly early. (JR)