NV Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Rose, Champagne, France (750ml)

WINEMAKER’S NOTES:

To the Eye:A sophisticated powdery pink robe with luminous glints of wild rose. Delicate, vivacious bubbles are the result of an ageing period or 36 months.

To the Nose:A base of 20% of reserve wines, white and red, give this rose blend a subtle, yet complex nose. The initial fragrances from the 5-6% of elegant red wines are redolent of home-made strawberry jam mixed with the fruitiness of blood peach. A meticulous selection of crus gives the Charles Heidsieck Rose Reserve the rich warm notes of gingerbread and cinnamon.

On the Palate:The deep powerful mouthfeel – the result of ageing in thousand-year old cellars – offers a burst of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry nestled in velvety whipped cream.

TASTING NOTES:

Really perfumed with flowers and light strawberry jam as well as copper and iron. Medium-bodied, this has ultrafine bubbles, lovely fruit and hints of lemon rind. 40% pinot noir, 35% chardonnay and 25% pinot meunier. 5% of the pinot noir is sourced from Les Riceys.

– James Suckling, 95 pts.

Lovely vanilla, toast, red fruit jam, plums, lees, brioche and croissant aromas. Palate with very good integration of the fine mousse. Blend: 40% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Meunier.

– Decanter, 94 pts.

Like many Charles Heidsieck Champagnes, this bottling has a fine poise between freshness and maturity. Coming through the yeasty aroma are rich white fruit and textured, toasty flavors.

– Wine Enthusiast, 93 pts.

A harmonious ros Champagne that layers bright, buoyant acidity and satiny texture with a fine range of yellow peach, strawberry, biscuit and crystallized honey flavors. Minerally hints of smoke and saline show on the finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

– Wine Spectator, 92 pts.

Aromas of strawberries, white peach, baked bread, red berries and gingerbread introduce the NV Ros Rserve, a medium to full-bodied, enrobing and round Champagne with a satiny attack, a fleshy and vinous mid-palate framed by lively acids and a mouthwatering, strawberries-inflected finish. This is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir (including 5% as red wine sourced from Les Riceys), 35% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Meunier with a dosage of eight grams per liter.

–Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 92 pts.

The NV Reserve Brut Rose is perfumed and floral with notes of crushed rose petal, tangerine, and peach. The palate is dry, with a spine of acidity, a structured core, and chalky earth. Its perfume gives way to its driving orange peel citrus and wild strawberry fruit. It has enough structure that I would be happy to have this on my holiday table. Best after 2022.

– Jeb Dunnuck, 92 pts.