Gusbourne Harvest 2023

Across its Kent and Sussex sites, Gusbourne completed harvest 2023 on 10th October – and it’s the winemaker’s biggest crop to date. With phenomenal fruit – brought in under sunny skies – vintage 2023 is set to be superb, says Gusbourne.

Their analysis of the grape bunches enabled the team to determine the perfect moment to begin picking, which this year was on 22nd September.

Mary Bridges, Head Winemaker, says: “That spell of warm weather got the grapes into a great spot. We noticed amazing balance in the grapes when we tasted them off the vine: the sugar, the acid, the concentration of flavour, the structure and ripeness.”

Aiming to hit this sweet spot with every bunch, the vineyard team used Mary’s data to dictate where to pick. This meant harvesting parcel by parcel, not vineyard by vineyard. The logistics were eyewatering, but “the team are incredibly experienced,” says Mary.

Laura Rhys, Master Sommelier, has tasted both the fresh juice and some of the early ferments.

“I’m feeling very positive about what I’ve tasted so far,” Laura says.

“Across the different grape varieties, there’s already lovely expressiveness. I’ve just tasted the early ferments and they are delicious. I’m looking forward to blending – we’re going to see some very exciting wines.”

They look forward to releasing this vintage in the years to come. In the meantime, you can visit their Kent vineyards to taste their current releases and to learn more about how they produce their award-winning, exclusively vintage wines.

For more information, or to purchase any wines, visit gusbourne.com