Gusbourne Winery
London Victoria → Kent → London Victoria
The British Pullman's Gusbourne Winery journey is a glorious day-long celebration of English viticulture, whisking guests from the grandeur of London Victoria into the sun-dappled orchards and vineyards of the Kent countryside. Aboard eleven lovingly restored art deco carriages, you travel in a style that evokes the golden age of rail: white-gloved service, gleaming silverware, and Bellini cocktails as the city gives way to rolling green hills.
Gusbourne Estate, ranked among The World's 50 Best Vineyards and holder of The King's Awards for Enterprise, has been cultivating Burgundian clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier in the Kentish Weald since 2004. The estate's celebrated sparkling wines — its Brut Reserve, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and the prestige Fifty One Degrees North — are poured alongside vine-fresh canapés during a guided estate tour, with panoramic views across the vineyards from the famous Boot Hill ridge.
From a three-course brunch on the outward run to a seasonal British dinner on the return, every moment aboard the Belmond British Pullman is curated to delight. This is a day journey of outstanding food, world-class English wine, and timeless Pullman elegance — all within a single magical day from London.
- ✦Silver-service three-course brunch with Bellini cocktails aboard art deco Pullman carriages
- ✦Guided tour of Gusbourne's award-winning Kent vineyards, ranked in the World's 50 Best
- ✦Curated tasting of three Gusbourne wines paired with canapés on the estate lawns
- ✦Seasonal British dinner with Great British cheeseboard on the return journey to London
- ✦Lawn games and live music at one of England's finest sparkling wine estates
- ✦Panoramic views across the Kentish Weald from the Boot Hill vineyard
- ✦A complete circular day journey from London Victoria with all meals and transfers included
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — London Victoria to Gusbourne Estate, Kent, and return
Morning departure: Guests board the Belmond British Pullman at London Victoria Station at approximately 09:35. As the train eases out through the southern suburbs and into the Kentish countryside, stewards circulate with welcome sparkling Bellini cocktails. The white-suited team then serves a three-course brunch at your table, featuring pastries and seasonal fruit to start, a classic eggs royale or similar main, and a dessert course — all accompanied by carefully selected wines poured from Belmond's sommelier-curated cellar. Coffee and tea complete the outward service.
Mid-morning — arrival at Ashford: The train draws into Ashford International station, where dedicated coach transfers await to carry guests the short journey through the pastoral Kentish Weald to Gusbourne Estate in Appledore, near Ashford (Kenardington Road, TN26 2BE).
Afternoon at Gusbourne Estate: The estate team welcomes guests with guided vineyard tours, walking the vines planted on the estate's distinctive greensand soils since 2004. Expert guides explain the estate's philosophy of sustainable, low-intervention winemaking and the significance of Burgundian clones in achieving their signature style. The tour culminates at The Nest cellar door and on the lawns, where a curated tasting of three Gusbourne wines — typically spanning their Brut Reserve, a Blanc de Blancs or Blanc de Noirs, and their acclaimed rosé — is paired with elegant canapés. Guests may enjoy lawn games and live music amid the vineyard scenery, with views across the estate from the elevated Boot Hill area. Time is allowed to browse and purchase wines directly from the estate.
Coach return to Ashford: Transfers bring guests back to Ashford International Station to rejoin the British Pullman.
Evening return to London Victoria: On the homeward journey the train serves a three-course seasonal British dinner — a table d'hôte menu showcasing the finest British produce, followed by a Great British cheeseboard with biscuits and chutneys. Sommelier-selected wines accompany every course, with coffee, tea, and petits fours rounding off the evening as the Kentish countryside passes in the dusk. The train arrives back at London Victoria the same evening.
Destinations & Highlights
London Victoria — the great departure
London Victoria Station has been the launching pad for some of Britain's most celebrated rail journeys since it opened in 1860. For British Pullman passengers, the experience begins on the platform itself: the gleaming chocolate-and-cream carriages of the Pullman, each named and individually decorated in authentic 1920s and 1930s art deco style, create an atmosphere of occasion before the wheels have turned. The station sits at the heart of one of London's most storied neighbourhoods, adjacent to Belgravia and a short walk from Buckingham Palace.
The Kent Countryside — England's Garden
The route south from London passes through the North Downs and into the Weald of Kent — a landscape of hop gardens, apple orchards, oast houses, and rolling farmland that has earned Kent its enduring title as the Garden of England. The greensand and chalk soils of this region, combined with a maritime climate tempered by the English Channel, proved ideal for viticulture when pioneering estates began planting in the early 2000s. Today Kent is home to some of the most acclaimed sparkling wine producers in the world, a fact increasingly recognised by critics who draw comparisons with the Champagne region of northern France.
Gusbourne Estate, Appledore, Kent
Founded in 2004 by Andrew Weeber, Gusbourne Estate cultivates 60 hectares of vines in Appledore, set in the quiet Kentish Weald near Ashford. The estate takes its unusual name from an old Kentish word, and its vineyards are planted with Burgundian clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier — the same three varieties used in Champagne — chosen for their suitability to the chalky greensand soils and the long, slow growing season. Gusbourne's sparkling wines are made using the traditional method, with extended lees ageing imparting the toasty complexity and fine persistent bubbles for which they are celebrated. The estate also produces distinctive still wines, including a Chardonnay Guinevere and a Provence-inspired rosé. Recognition has followed quality: Gusbourne holds a place in The World's 50 Best Vineyards 2025 (ranked 28th globally), the King's Awards for Enterprise 2024, and the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2025. The prestige bottling Fifty One Degrees North — named for the latitude of the estate — has scored 98 points in international competition, while the Blanc de Noirs 2020 won gold at the 2025 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. The visitor experience is centred on The Nest, the estate's welcoming cellar door, and the open lawns and vineyards that tumble down from the high ground of Boot Hill.