Rose Champagne

Seductive, forward and fruity, the Imperial Rosé is a great ambassador for this famous name.  Pinots Noir and Meunier dominate the blend, with 10 % of the former added as red wine, and then 10% Chardonnay completing the ensemble and adding floral elegance and hints of white peach on the palate. 30% of Reserve Wine lends depth and complexity, and a relatively modest 9 g/l dosage complements the exuberant red fruit personality with great panache.  
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Bin end – limited quantities at a discounted price.

Ruinart is a low-profile, yet select, Champagne house which is steeped in history. It was founded in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart in the city of Reims, the year after a Royal Decree in 1728, whereby Louis XV gave his consent for sparkling wines to be shipped in baskets containing 50 to 100 bottles. This opened the gates of Europe to Champagne and thus makes Ruinart the oldest Champagne House.

Premier and Grand Cru sites only supply the grapes for this excellent rosé, which is made up of 45 percent Chardonnay and 55 percent Pinot Noir, with 18 percent of the latter added as red wine. A subtle nose of rosehip, spice and wild strawberry; on the palate the wine marries exuberant fruit with a richly velvety texture. Ruinart is famous for their Rosé; justly so it would seem.

Created by the eponymous widow in 1818, the Rosé is a wonderful partner to the famous Veuve Yellow Label; as always Pinot Noir is in the ascendant, making up just half of the blend. Chardonnay edges it over Pinot Meunier for the balance, lending elegance and linear authority. Wild strawberry aromas dominate here, and the palate is generous, almost savoury and vinous, yet always fresh, approachable and, as a result, incalculably delicious.  
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Bin end – limited quantities at a discounted price.

Archetypical rose, made from bled grapes, dominated by red fruits and an aestetic ensemble which is close to irresistible.

Billecart-Salmon is one of the few remaining Champagne houses to be owned by the original family and was established in 1818 by Nicolas-François Billecart. Most of Billecart-Salmon's fruit comes from a small vineyard holding, though this is supplemented with grapes bought in from the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims. Meticulous production techniques, from the use of their own cultured yeast to its long, slow, cool fermentation, ensure that the family has 100 percent control of production.

Billecart-Salmon is renowned for the quality of its delicate rosé – and rightfully so. This is a delightful rosé with a charming, fruity nose and palate with hints of roasted nuts.

Bin end – limited quantities at a discounted price.

De Sousa is based in the Grand Cru village of Avize in the Côte des Blancs. Vigneron and paterfamilias, Erick de Sousa is third-generation Portuguese who practices biodynamic viticulture. The De Sousa philosophy adheres to late ripening, allowing the vines to benefit from the mineral-rich soils and to develop palate profiles that are both rich and pure, with most impressive length evidenced across the range.

A blend of 90 percent Chardonnay and 10 percent Pinot Noir, the Caudalies has been vinifed in oak, with the Pinot spending a year in five-year-old barrels before assemblage. The wine has a salmon colour and attractive aromas of red-berried fruit, and is gently toasty and with hints of praline and brioche. The palate maintains the red fruit theme and builds on it with layers of nuanced flavour.

Krug was established in 1843 and has since specialised in producing only prestige and specialised Champagnes. It is the only firm still producing all its Champagne in small oak casks, an essential element for developing Krug's intense bouquet and complex flavours.

This refined rosé, with exquisitely clean summer fruit and exceptional length, is about as good as rosé gets. Krug Rosé is the only prestige cuvée rosé to be blended from a palette of wines from three different grape varieties, and from a wide range of vintages. A resting time of at least five years in Krug’s cellars gives Krug Rosé its subtle bubbles and long-lasting elegance. Krug Rosé is a remarkable Champagne which encapsulates the creative spirit of Krug Grande Cuvée.

The majestic Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is made up of equal blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with 10% red wine added by assemblage. The outstanding 2002 has a beautiful copper-pink hue and an attractive nose which marries hazelnut, red berries and spice.

The palate is equally enigmatic, both delicate and ripe, with a lively mousse yet a harmonious richness, persistent and deeply satisfying. 2002 is the greatest vintage since goodness knows when; the season was almost perfect for the Champenois , eclipsing other fine years such as 1998 and 1996…..This wine is a worthy benchmark of both the vintage and the burgeoning deluxe Rosé category.
Simon Field MW, BBR Wine Buyer

Bright salmon with cherry copper tints, energy and vitality.  Initially discreet on the nose despite its breadth and underlying richness, with delicate strawberry fruit and touches of minerality.  More spicy complexity as it opens, with real depth and power.  In the mouth, fine mousse on the attack with precise mineral notes wrapped in velour, fleshy and mouth-filling but effortlessly balanced by freshness.  Needs time to develop but manages to combine the freshness of the 2004 and breadth of the 2002 within a suave textured package.  
Adrian Brice - Fine Wine Buyer

Unlike the elegant 2004, this 2005 is muscular, masculine and unquestionably a powerhouse Rosé. Initially expressive nose of spicy red fruit. Much more “red” in character than “rosé” due to the high percentage of still red wine (approx. 27% instead of average 19%). Over time the nose evolves beautifully in the glass revealing spicy strawberry notes. In the mouth the wine is big, rich, masculine and mouth-filling. Initially the acid is a touch disjointed but this can be forgiven due to the age of the wine. In the glass the palate comes together nicely with very fine tannin. This needs food and time. The vertical tasting of 2005/2004/2003/2002 really showed how Dom Perignon are possibly the best at expressing the individual characteristics of the year while retaining their beautiful house style. 2005 is another great Rosé (from the very BEST producers of Rosé) to add to the pantheon of legendary vintages since 1959. 
Gareth Birchley - Fine Wine Buyer

From the more muscular end of the Rosé spectrum, made by the assemblage method, a complex and satisfying blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with hints of summer fruits, a creamy texture and real power on the finish.

Bollinger's Grande Année Rosé champagne is a subtler wine than its non-vintage sibling, lighter in colour and more delicate of aroma, yet ultimately more profound. Pinot Noir, as one would expect, dominates the blend ( 68%) , and is also added as a still wine, but only a relatively modest 5%. Onion-skin heading towards salmon of colour, the 2004 boasts all the qualities of this generous vintage and the wine, en bouche, combines lively red fruit notes with a savoury, satisfying finish. Taut and focused, this is an engaging exemplar of the cerebral potential of Rosé Champagne in general and Bollinger’s burgeoning expertise in this area in particular.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer) 

Described by Dom Pérignon as the jewel in their crown, Dom Pérignon’s Rosé is complex, bold and unimaginably enticing. The growing conditions in 2004 were superb with no weather extremes, a relatively cool August and plenty of sunshine prior to harvest, which contributed to a very healthy crop. The ultimate result is a resounding success, and by Dom Pérignon’s standards, a fabulous vintage rosé champagne which will reward drinkers or collectors alike.

Orange/pale pink, this already has so much more concentration than 2003 on the nose. Lifted, light, deep, everything. It’s incredibly seductive, savoury and sweet, with yuzu and a lovely richness on the palate. Incredibly balanced, this is very precise in the mouth. Structured but voluptuous. Very classic, it’s so long – just outstanding.