Rosé blending
The most classic way is to blend and vinify still white wines with 5-20% of the reds recognized by the Coteaux Champenois AOC.All you need to do is bring them together during blending, before bottling and foaming. Winemakers can use Pinot noir, Meunier and Chardonnay.
" From now on, all sparkling wines may, if their specifications so stipulate, make a rosé wine by blending red wine from the same appellation with white wine," explains Jean-Luc Barbier, former Managing Director of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne. More specifically, the law stipulates that "for wines produced in France, the blending of a white wine with a red or rosé wine cannot produce a rosé wine. However, such blending is permitted when the resulting product is intended for the production of a sparkling wine, a quality sparkling wine, a quality aromatic sparkling wine or a semi-sparkling wine".
Each Champagne House and winemaker has its own style of Champagne wine, and therefore uses different methods.Some blend grape varieties, others Champagne regions, and some blend vintages, often the last three.
In the case of rosé d'assemblage, the resulting champagne has more of a sweet gourmet character, with small red fruits such as wild strawberry, redcurrant, blueberry or raspberry.Like Maison Billecart Salmon's Cuvée Brut rosé, considered one of the finest rosé champagnes in existence.Blended with 40% Chardonnay, 30% Meunier and 30% Pinot Noir, it's already a feast for the eyes, with its salmon hues and pale pink color.The Ruinart brut Rosé, made with 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir, is another fine example of rosé blending, and is one of the top 3 rosé champagnes to taste.
Rosé de saignée
This process is a little more complicated, and less widely used, as it requires greater care.Black Pinot Noir or Meunier grapes are crushed with their skins.This gives the juice its color during a short maceration of the grape skins, lasting between 24 and 72 hours, depending on the year.The longer the maceration, the more full-bodied and aromatic the rosé champagnes.
After maceration, the vat is bled.In other words, the must is separated from the skins.The result is a still rosé wine, which is then processed in the same way as the white wines used to make white champagnes.This rosé champagne de saignée will be windier and richer than those made by blending.
Producers such as Laurent Perrier and Maison Drappier shave adopted this method, known as "rosé de saignée" or "rosé de macération". Some are a deep pink in color.The main difference in taste comes from the grape variety.Rosé champagnes made with a high proportion of black grapes, such as Pinot noir and Meunier, are always fuller-bodied.
Food and rosé champagnes.
Rosé champagnes regularly feature notes of red berries, whereas white champagnes are renowned for their white-fruit, floral and brioche notes.
Rosé brut and extra-dry champagnes can be served as aperitifs or as an excellent accompaniment to a meal. Sweeter wines, such as demi-sec or doux, are often enjoyed with dessert, especially if you're serving a strawberry or raspberry-based recipe. Of course, it can also be paired, more traditionally, with pink Reims cookies.
