Gusbourne

What's the vibe?

Gusbourne is a large, established English wine estate set in the Kent countryside near the Romney Marshes. Visits are structured and professionally run, with a focus on guided tastings, vineyard walks and hosted dining experiences rather than informal drop-ins.

Visiting:

The on-site tasting room, The Nest, is open daily from 10am to 5pm throughout the year, including bank holidays. Visitors can purchase wine and take part in tasting flights. Self-guided vineyard walks are available, with maps collected from The Nest.

Tours & Experiences:

Guided tours are available year-round, typically running from Thursday to Sunday, and must be booked in advance. Some tour formats include a seasonal, wine-paired lunch. Tour content focuses on vineyard management, winemaking and tasting rather than informal leisure visits.

Dining & Events:

Gusbourne does not operate a walk-in restaurant, but many experiences include pre-booked lunches or dinners. The estate regularly hosts structured events such as winemaker-led tastings, chef-hosted dinners and curated vineyard picnics.

Children & Dogs:

Hosted tours are not suitable for children due to winery access and alcohol service. Dogs are not permitted inside The Nest, tasting areas or winery buildings.

Gusbourne produces English sparkling and still wines exclusively from estate-grown fruit. Sparkling wines form the core of the range and include Brut Reserve, Blanc de Blancs, Rosé and Blanc de Noirs. Still wines include Chardonnay (Guinevere) and Pinot Noir.

All wines are made from classic Champagne grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Gusbourne controls the full production process from vineyard management through to winemaking on site.

The estate has received extensive national and international recognition across multiple vintages, including repeated awards at IWSC, Decanter and WineGB competitions. Gusbourne has been named IWSC English Wine Producer of the Year on three occasions, and individual wines have regularly achieved gold and top-category awards in both sparkling and still wine classes.

Gusbourne is a founding member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain and holds Gold accreditation. Vineyard management incorporates regenerative practices, biodiversity planting and organic fertiliser use. Winery operations run on predominantly renewable energy.

By car:

Gusbourne is located at the junction of Kenardington Road and Snargate Road, around 15 minutes from Ashford and 10 minutes from Rye. Free on-site parking is available.

By public transport:

Ashford International is the nearest major station, with high-speed services from London St Pancras. From Ashford, the vineyard is approximately 10–15 minutes by taxi. Gusbourne recommends pre-booking taxis, as nearby rural stations have limited onward transport.

Nearby highlights include:

The town of Rye, the Kent & East Sussex Railway, countryside walks around Romney Marsh, and a range of pubs, restaurants and hotels in Rye and Ashford.