Pink Champagne
Rare Champagne Millésime 2008 Rosé
As far as stunning looking bottles go, you don’t get much prettier than Rare and luckily, what’s inside the bottle superbly echoes this beauty. Champagne Rare used to be a part of the Piper Heidsieck family, but since 2018 has been a marque in its own right. Made only in extraordinary vintages where extreme weather conditions have, against the odds, produced incredibly fine fruit, Rare have produced just nine white champagnes since 1976 and this is only their second ever rosé, the first vintage being the 2007.
A blend of 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, the 2008 is lean and elegant, with a fine mousse, attractive, complex notes of rose petal and white flowers, with a sophisticated texture and cool mineral backbone. Simply beautiful in every way.
RRP of £275- £299.95. Find it at ChampagneDirect & FinestBubble.
Krug Rosé – 23rd edition
Krug has always been famous for its multi-vintage blends and this rosé édition features no less than sixty wines in the final blend, dating from the 2000 vintage to 2011. A blend of 29% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay and 26% Pinot Meunier from Grand Cru and Premier Cru plots in the village of in Aÿ, Krug Rose is always aged on the lees for at least six years before release, which is what helps it give is such a powerful, rich and creamy texture, colour and spiciness.
This ‘edition’ showcases extraordinary complexity with its subtle, onion skin pink colour belying the savoury, almost meaty notes and the crisp redcurrant tang, which blends seamlessly with notes of honey, dried pineapple and lemon zest. Don’t forget to check each bottle for its Krug ID on the back label which, if you have a smartphone, will allow you to discover the story of the liquid in the bottle.
RRP £239.95 – £260 from The Finest Bubble and Champagne Direct.
Armand de Brignac Brut Rosé
You will no doubt recognise these ultra-prestige, shiny bottles as none other than the famous ‘Ace of Spades’ champagnes, owned by rapper Shawn ‘JAY-Z’ Carter, but crafted by the Cattier family, who have been making wine in and around the Montagne-de-Reims region in Champagne for thirteen generations.
This rosé is one of the best-loved wines of the range: a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay from a trio of excellent vintages (2009, 2010 & 2012), this delicate looking pink is all about wild strawberry and morello cherry notes with creamy, almond croissant flavours and a moreish, sweet spice.
RRP £500 from Fortnum & Mason.
About Helena
Helena Nicklin is an award-winning wine and spirits writer, author and broadcaster. She judges for various international wine and spirits awards and has most recently co-produced and co-presented a global TV series for Amazon Prime called The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky. You can follow her on Twitter @TheWinebird and on Instagram @Winebird.
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