With Easter fast approaching, what better delight than a glass or two of a delightful Rosé Champagne to start the fun over the coming weekend.
A collection of top-notch options were assembled for a panel to assess.
Rosé Champagne is a bit of an anomaly within EU wine regulations, as it allows a rosé wine to be created by blending red and white wine - typically a rosé must be produced by macerating the juice with the skins to extract pigments to give the wine its colour. In the Champagne region, this is a practise that was first recorded by Veuve Clicquot in 1775, and has continued across the appellation ever since.
However, that does not exclude producers from creating a rosé along traditional lines by a long, gentle infusion of red grapes that extracts the colour and then perhaps adding a percentage of Chardonnay to ferment both grapes together.
Therefore, in Champagne, rosé wines are usually made by blending red wine with white: generally this provides a greater degree of control over the finished colour. These wines are known as Rosé d’assemblage. However, skin maceration of black grapes is also permitted and then the wine is ‘bled off’, i.e. drawn off the skins. Hence, these wines are known as Rosé de saignée.
Three wines came within a point of each other, so there was little to differentiate between the wines that appealed to the panel.
1 - Laurent-Perrier 'Cuvée Rosé' Champagne
This has been the bench-mark for Rosé Champagne since it first appeared back in 1968, and it still delivers the goods, bringing a smile to all the panel, with the acknowledgement that it is still the one to beat.
Deep colour, with a rich Pinot Noir flavour on the nose. Structure, finesse and a richness with red berry and apple flavours on the palate. Sophisticated and delicious.
Majestic - £57.99 - currently on offer as a ‘mix six’ - available from many merchants
2 - Louis Roederer Rosé 2015
A blend of 62% Pinot Noir and 38% Chardonnay. Ripe blackcurrants and redcurrants on the nose with a distinct blood orange flavour on the palate. Full-bodied, rich, lively acidity with a generous finish. Opulent in style that would work perfectly with salmon, and chicken in a light creamy sauce.
Although this is drinking superbly at the moment, I’m going to buy a few cases and let the wine evolve further for another four years: a little more time will allow additional complexity to develop.
Berrys - £66.75 - currently the best price but available from many merchants.
3 - Gonet-Medeville Cuvée Théophile Grand Cru 2009
This pipped the two other contenders by one point. Outstanding would be the best way to describe this wine! Very rich palate with bundles of ripe fruits that spanned red berries, cooked apples, and a collection of stone fruits. Almost a touch of spicy ginger on the middle palate. Excellent balance with racy acidity and a surprisingly long finish that oozed quality.
Lea & Sandeman - £129.00 - only available from their Fulham Road branch.
