October 14, 2026 — Gusbourne has announced a limited-edition release of its Blanc de Blancs 2016 to mark the estate’s two decades of winemaking, featuring original artwork by artist Lily Mixe inspired by the flora and fauna of the Kent-based producer’s vineyard.
The Story Behind the Bottle
To mark its 20th vintage year, Gusbourne has collaborated with artist Lily Mixe on a limited-edition release that brings the landscape of the estate directly to the bottle.
Rather than commission a standard commemorative label, Gusbourne invited Lily onto the estate to develop an original work inspired by the vineyard, its soil and its seasonal cycle. The resulting piece, Roots-Nest, exists as both a permanent mural at The Nest – Gusbourne’s cellar door and tasting rooms – and as the artwork featured on the limited-edition bottle and gift box.
Lily Mixe’s practice centres on natural patterns and materials; she works with inks and pigments made from organic sources, including soil sourced onsite at Gusbourne for this project. Her work has previously been shown at Turner Contemporary and Saatchi Gallery.
Lily Mixe says: “When I came to Gusbourne, we walked through the vineyards. What struck me was not only the vines, but everything around them. We looked at the wasp traps, and we saw rabbits and geese and all the different life around the vineyard. I was surprised by that – the fact that the animals, the plants and everything around the vines are part of making the wine. I found that really interesting.
“I really wanted to see the soil, because I’ve spent time in France visiting vineyards and I know the soil is really important. I wanted to dig a little and see what colours we would find, and the different layers. I wanted to try to base the artwork on the colour palette we found there.”
The Release
The limited-edition release comprises 500 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2016, presented with a distinctive label and gift box featuring Lily’s original artwork.
Laura Rhys, Master Sommelier, comments, “The 2016 vintage of Blanc de Blancs is one I’ve followed with keen interest. Now, at the midway point between our debut vintage and our 20th vintage year, it’s the perfect time to revisit it.
“When we first released Blanc de Blancs 2016, we knew that this was a wine with enormous potential. It had a really exciting combination of ripeness and enticing acidity.
“Now, in 2026, a decade on from its harvest year, this wine has had five years on lees and a further four and a half on cork. It’s at a beautiful point in its development; incredibly poised, layered, subtle and complex. This long, careful ageing means that the wine now shows some of those tertiary toasted-nut notes, and a hint of white mushroom character.
“For me, it’s one of the vintages I’ve been most excited to watch develop over the years, and I have several bottles tucked away in my cellar. For those who enjoy the character of cellar-aged vintage sparkling, this will be a real treat.”
The Details
- Product: Limited-edition Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2016
- Format: Bottles in individually numbered gift box, featuring original artwork by Lily Mixe
- Artwork: Roots-Nest: A permanent mural in The Winemaker’s Library, The Nest, Appledore, Kent
- Allocation: 500 bottles total
- Release date: 22nd October 2026. The wine will be offered first to Gusbourne members beforehand
- £95 per single bottle
- www.gusbourne.com
You can read an interview with Lily Mixe about her collaboration with Gusbourne here.
ABOUT GUSBOURNE
Gusbourne planted its first vines in 2004 with a single-minded vision: to craft the world’s finest sparkling wines. Today – two decades on –that same ambition still drives them.
The team at Gusbourne work in a way which embraces tradition but challenges convention. The focus is always on the detail – the incremental gains – which allow them to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in English wine, one vintage at a time.
The quality of fruit is essential: Gusbourne hand-harvests all its own grapes. This means they have total control over the quality in the vineyard; they only pick when the fruit is perfectly ripe. Around half of their vines are Burgundian clones. These yield smaller quantities of ripe, flavourful grapes which are ideal for both still and sparkling wines.
All Gusbourne’s wines are vintage-only, which means they’re made using the fruit from a single growing season. Each wine tells a story of a year’s growing conditions, capturing a moment in time. They cellar-age the wines for as long as they need, releasing them only when they are ready.
The award-winning tasting room and cellar door, The Nest, is open year-round, welcoming impromptu guests for self-guided tours and tasting flights. Gusbourne also hosts a range of ticketed events, such as expert-led masterclasses, tutored tastings and dining experiences.
Gusbourne supplies leading restaurants in the UK, such as Ynyshir, L’Enclume, Moor Hall, Restaurant Story, CORE by Clare Smyth and the Hand & Flowers. They have exclusive sparkling wine listings at Whatley Manor, The Lanesborough, Claridge’s and The Corinthia Hotels, as well as prestigious listings at Grosvenor House, Boringdon Hall, The Athenaeum, Torridon, Grove of Narbeth and Northcote.
Gusbourne is the official English Sparkling Wine supplier of Cowdray Estate, in West Sussex, and their wines can be enjoyed onboard the Belmond British Pullman, Cunard cruise ships and in Japanese Airlines First Class lounges. Fifty One Degrees North 2016 is served in British Airways First Class, on rotation.
The wines are also available from retailers including Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, as well as many independent, specialist wine merchants, including Berry Bros. & Rudd and Hedonism. The wines are also exported to over 40 countries around the world.
ABOUT LILY MIXE
Lily Mixe is a French artist originally from Paris, now based in Kent, known for nature-inspired work made using her own hand-mixed, natural pigments. Her work has been exhibited at Turner Contemporary and Saatchi Gallery.
You can find out more about Lily here, or to see more of her work, visit Turner Contemporary.
