Riveting Rosé
Best of the Best: Heart Throbbing
Rosé Champagne for Cupid’s Day
Tom Hyland
Rosé Champagnes will forever be linked to romance and Valentine’s Day; that’s a pretty strong recommendation for these wines to be sure. But there’s a great deal more to Rosé Champagnes than heartfelt emotion; the best examples are quite rich and complex, and tend to pair better with a wider variety of foods than traditional Champagnes. Enjoying duck breast or game? Thai curry or Oriental beef? Foods such as these are perfect served with a Rosé Champagne, and there are hundreds more.
Given that, here are brief notes on several highly recommended current releases of Rosé Champagnes that will heighten your senses and enhance your palate not just on one day, but the year round.
Marc Hebrart Cuvée Rosé (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ) $60. Delicate pink color; strawberry and carnation aromas. Medium-full, very good acidity and ideal harmony; this is a Rosé of great finesse. A nice introduction to this style from an accomplished grower/producer.
Gosset Grand Rosé non-vintage (Epernay) $65. Beautiful copper/salmon color, this is about one-third Pinot Noir. Strawberry, red cherry and orange rose aromas. Medium-full with a round, elegant finish and a light creaminess. Nice value.
Henriot non-vintage (Reims) $70. Remarkably fresh with delicious maraschino cherry and strawberry jam aromas. Medium-full with a dry, flavorful finish; an excellent Rosé from a vastly underated producer.
Billecart-Salmon non-vintage (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ) $80. The go-to Rosé for hundreds of sommeliers and wine directors the world over. Full-bodied with intense depth of fruit; great persistence and structure — outstanding! This is especially enjoyable paired with duck or lamb.
Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut (Tours-sur-Marne) $75. 100% Pinot Noir, unlike most Rosés that are blended with Chardonnay and/or Pinot Meunier. Very rich mid-palate, yet extremely elegant. As consistently excellent and as enjoyable a Rosé Champagne as there is, this ages beautifully!
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé 2004 (Epernay) $75. Delicious cranberry and strawberry fruit and a long, elegant finish; a first-class Rosé, Moët has really been on a roll as of late. Beautifully made, this has exquisite balance. Very classy!
Philipponnat “Cuvée 1522” Rosé 2005 (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ) $100. 70% Pinot Noir from a vineyard in Aÿ, one of the region’s best towns for growing this variety. Powerful aromas of Bosc pear, chamomille and tangerine. Partially aged in wood, this is a stylish Rosé with a rich, lengthy finish. This should drink well for seven to ten years.
Charles Heidsieck Millésime 1999 (Reims) $100. Anyone who thinks Rosé Champagne must be enjoyed young needs to taste this. Mature strawberry and pear notes with a distinct yeastiness. Marvelous balance and outstanding complexity – a superb Rosé! This is especially memorable served with halibut or tuna.
