Summer 2020 Best Rosé Champagnes
Rosé champagne is made using the saignée method (or a modified saignée method) or by rosé d’assemblage (the blending method ). I absolutely love both styles when they are done right.
I have enjoyed so many great rosés this year that I have put together my Summer 2020 Top Rosé Champagne picks to enjoy all summer long. This list includes both my go to summertime rosés as well as bottles that I will be opening up this summer! I will also work on a separate post on my wish list rosés. This list focuses on Négociant Manipulants (larger houses includes family-owned houses) and I will have to do one for Récoltant Manipulants (growers) once I try more grower rosés.
Best Non-Vintage Rosé Champagne for Summer 2020:
Laurent Perrier Non Vintage Rosé champagne - This is a go to rosé champagne for me no matter the season. Laurent Perrier created this rosé in 1968 and it is one of the few rosé champagnes that is 100% Pinot Noir - which is especially unique coming from a chardonnay focused champagne house. This is made slightly different than the saignée method - it is a very cold maceration in order to ensure you are only getting the color and intensity of the flavors. The juice is then removed from the skin after 48 - 72 hours depending on the fragrance and the ripeness of the grapes and moved to a separate vat for each cru and is then undergoes the first fermentation - it is a 100% Grand Cru Pinot Noir. Color: Deep Pink Sweetness: Brut Aromas: Strawberry. You can find this is in the Limited Edition Tiger Cage, which I absolutely love! A new cage comes out every Fall. Pairing: Duck Confit
Champagne Henriot Non Vintage Rosé - Another excellent Non-Vintage rosé that is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 10% Meunier and 40% Chardonnay and 35% are reserve wines. This rosé is made by blending still red wine during the assemblage. 70% of the grapes are Grand and Premier Cru. There is added complexity driven by the Pinot Noir.
Color: Copper-pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Smoked Salmon
Billecart-Salmon Non Vintage Rosé - This is another one of my summer must haves! This rosé is perfect for the foodie lover as it pairs well with so many dishes and possesses so much finesse. This rosé is a pretty even blend of all three main grapes: 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier. Red berry flavors and aromas.
Color: Pale Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Sashimi
Piper Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage - This rosé has a super deep pink color due to the addition of 20% still Pinot Noir that is added to the blend. It also can be found in fun cases such as this lipstick case shown (which I purchased at the airport - so travel and champagne).
Color: Deep Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: BBQ (Short Ribs, Korean Ribs)
Charles Heidsieck Rosé Reserve - This rosé is aged over four years on the lees. It has notes of strawberry jam. 80% of the wines are an equal blend of Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and the remaining 20% reserve wine is 10% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. Freshness, Elegance combine with Structure and Complexity.
Color: Soft Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Fried Chicken
G.H. Mumm RSRV Rosé Foujita - A blend of six Grand Cru terroirs, bringing together Pinot Noir (70%) from Verzenay, Aÿ and Bouzy, and Chardonnay (30%) from Cramant and Avize. Red wine from Ambonnay is added. Aged on the lees for four years.
Color: Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Filet Medalions
Champagne Taittinger Nocturne Rosé - This champagne is perfect for summer nights. It is a blend of 30% Chardonnay and 70% Meunier and Pinot Noir (15% is still Pinot Noir blended). Aged for four years in the cellar. Delicate bubbles.
Color: Bright Pink
Sweetness: Sec
Pairing: Berry Pie / Strawberry Cheesecake
G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Brut Rosé - This rosé is made up of 60% Pinot Noir, 22% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier. It expresses ripe berry fruit, cranberry and caramel. It is aged for two years in the cellars and it was first released in 1957 and was a collaboration between Cellar Master René Lalou and and Japanese artist Leonard Foujita who created a rose that is now on the cap of the bottle.
Color: Salmon Pink with Orange Flecks
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Seared Tuna
Ruinart Rosé - The first rosé produced was an Oeil de Perdrix (“eye of the partridge”) which was created by allowing the red skins to have contact with the juice producing a tinted pink from the grape skins. The short skin contact turns the juice a very pale pink color. Today, it is a blend of 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir. 18 - 19% is still Pinot Noir added to the blend (when it was first produced in the 1700s it was not produced in this way). Intense aromas of tropical fruits (guava and lychee) and small red berries (raspberry, field strawberry, cherry).
Color: Pomegranate Pink with with Hints of Orange
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Lamb or Veal Fillet
Veuve Clicquot Non Vintage Rosé - The first blended rosé was created by Veuve Clicquot in 1818 by adding still Pinot Noir to the blend. It is a blend of 44 to 48 % Pinot Noir, 13 to 18 % Meunier, 25 to 29 % Chardonnay depending on the years. 30 - 45% of the wines are reserves and Veuve Clicquot has some of the oldest reserves in Champagne. 3 years minimum aging.
Color: Copper Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Beef Carpaccio
Krug Non Vintage Rosé - This rosé is aged for seven years in the cellars - there are different editions of Krug and this is the 19th Edition which is based around the 2006 Harvest and is a blend of 59% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 8% Meunier. Aromas of rose hip, mulberry and pink grapefruit. On the palate, honey, citrus and dried fruit. Fine bubbles.
Color: Pale Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Foie Gras, Food with Spice
Champagne Ayala Rosé Majeur - A blend of 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 10% Meunier. Red berries on the nose and palate. Aged for three years in the cellars.
Color: Pale Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Salmon Filet - Rare
Other Non-Vintages I recommend:
Champagne Delamotte Rosé
Champagne Bollinger Rosé
Other Non-Vintages I plan to try:
Champagne Marie Césaire
Champagne Lanson Rosé
Champagne Pommery Rosé
Vintage Rosé Champagnes for Summer 2020
Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque - A blend of 50% Pinot Noir from Ay, Mailly, Verzy and Rilly with 45% Chardonnay from the finest terroirs in Cramant, Avize and Le Mesnil and 5% Meunier from Dizy it is made in only the best years and aged for a minimum of 6 years. Current Vintage is the 2010.
Color: Pale Apricot
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Tuna Tartare
Champagne Henriot Vintage 2012 - 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir it is a blend of only Premier and Grand Cru Grapes and is aged for a minimum of 5 years. Strawberry on the nose and palate. This is an incredibly elegant vintage rosé that is still young and will continue to develop through the years.
Color: Vivid Coral
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Poached Turbot
Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2006 Rosé - It is a Chardonnay / Pinot Noir blend with grapes taken from 15 crus including Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Vertus and Avenay, Louvois, Ambonnay and Ay. It was aged nine years in the cellars before disgorgement. Notes: Spiced Note, Honey, Strawberry Jam, Cinnamon, Fig Tart, Pastries, Tea. It is radiant and delicate.
Color: Apricot
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Egg Yolk Pasta with Truffles
Champagne Louis Roederer Vintage - This is a Pinot Noir dominant blend containing around 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. 20% of the wines are vinified in oak. Aged a minimum of four years on the lees. Fresh with berry and floral notes along with hints of cocoa. A combination of minerality and freshness.
Color: Pale Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Duck Breast
TÊTE DE CUVÉE ROSÉS
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Milllésime 2007 - This is a blend of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and less than 10% of the Pinot is vinified as a red wine. This champagne is aged on the lees for 10 years creating depth and complexity.
Color: Radiant Pink
Sweetness: Brut
Pairing: Roasted Chicken in a Cream Sauce
ONES I WOULD LIKE TO TRY:
TAITTINGER COMTES DES CHAMPAGNE ROSÉ
RARE ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE
ARMAND DE BRIGNAC ROSÉ
CRISTAL ROSÉ
DOM PÉRIGNON ROSÉ
VEUVE CLICQUOT LA GRANDE DAME ROSÉ