30 top rosé Champagnes to sip this summer

Rosé Champagnes are so widely available today that it’s hard to believe volume production is a relatively recent phenomenon.

Just 15 years ago, rosé accounted for just 3% of total Champagne output – today the figure sits close to 15%. This reflects the increase in rosé wine consumption across the board and, within sparkling wine, Champagne leads the way as the source for the world’s best (and most expensive) pink wines.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for 30 top rosé Champagnes

Rosé Champagne in fact dates back several hundred years. Moët & Chandon first produced rosé (called ‘rozé’) after an order from Napoleon for a pink fizz; Veuve Clicquot launched its first rosé Champagne in 1818. Rosé now accounts for 20% of Moët production, up from just 2% a decade ago.

Burst of red fruit

There is no doubt consumers appreciate the fine bubbles, freshness and finesse of Champagne – the perfect drink for a celebration.

Rosé Champagne adds another facet to this with a burst of red-fruit character, a slight reduction in acidity and appealing colours ranging from very pale to a pronounced copper hue.

In terms of sweetness, rosé Champagne is usually brut as there is little need for additional dosage given the extra fruitiness provided by the inclusion of red wine in the blend (see below). As well as being a great aperitif wine, rosé Champagne is also very gastronomic and an ideal partner with food.

Reacting to the rapid increase in demand poses difficulties for producers using the traditional method for their fizz production.

The creation of a sparkling rosé is not a quick process, unless you are working with the larger volume Charmat method. This has enabled rosé Prosecco – only legalised a year ago – to reach the market and sell in high volume.

For producers using the traditional method (which involves a second fermentation in bottle), timescales are much longer. Champagne and Cava are the two largest sparkling rosé sectors, while rosé is less commonly found in Franciacorta or Crémant wines.

Precious commodity

The (relatively) limited volumes of traditional method rosés, combined with increasing demand, are key reasons why rosé Champagne is more expensive than the brut equivalent. Sourcing high-quality still red wine is an additional cost. Yet despite higher prices, these wines are well worth seeking out.

So, how are these delightful wines produced?

Rosé sparkling wine is an anomaly in the wine regulations, being the only area where blending of red and white wine is permitted for the production of rosé wines.

When it comes to Champagne, the skill of the winemaker is to bring together a wide selection of neutral, acidic and relatively low alcohol base wines to create a blend which, post-second fermentation, will become much greater than the sum of its parts.

To make a rosé Champagne, the winemaker needs to add a further dimension – the introduction of red wine.

High-quality red wine

The objective is nearly always to preserve the purity and elegance of the wine while introducing colour and the addition of fresh fruit characters.

There are two ways in which this can be done – rosé d’assemblage or saignée.

Rosé d’assemblage is widely used, with the addition of red wine into the blend prior to second fermentation, while saignée refers to the ‘bleeding’ of red colour from the maceration of Pinot Noir or Meunier grapes.

Whatever method is used, it is vital that the red wine must be of high quality. Many cheaper rosé champagnes are marred by the addition of average-quality red wine – a quick route to ruin the balance of the blend.

Rosé Champagne aficionados often have strong views as to which method is superior, but there really is no clear answer.

Laurent-Perrier is considered a master of the saignée approach, whereas Bollinger embraces the addition of high-quality red wine, sourcing Pinot Noir from its own vineyards in Aÿ. Veuve-Clicquot uses rosé d’assemblage, sourcing red grapes from premium lieu-dit such as Clos Colin and Au Moulin in Bouzy.

Rosé d’assemblage

The rosé d’assemblage approach sees the addition of between 5-20% red wine into the blend. Simply adding this to a ‘house’ Brut cuvée won’t yield the best results as the red wine, with different fruit profile, tannin and lower levels of acidity, will upset the balance of the wine. Quality conscious producers need to take a more considered, skilled approach.

Krug Rosé Champagne is created as an unique blend, whereas Bollinger relies on the expert addition of Pinot Noir into the already established blend. Bollinger’s non-vintage rosé uses around 5% red wine, while La Grande Année adds between 7-8% of red wine, sourced from the Côte aux Enfants. These rosé Champagnes are all undeniably fine wines and there is no right or wrong approach – the key remains the judgement of the winemaker in creating the optimum blend.

The saignée method

There are also many advocates for the alternative saignée or maceration method. Laurent-Perrier is renowned for its benchmark Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé NV, as well as the ultra-premium vintage cuvée Alexandra Rosé. Other excellent saignée Champagnes are produced by Jacquesson (Terres Rouge) and Larmandier-Bernier (Rosé de Saignée).

Laurent-Perrier sources grapes from grand cru vineyards in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, with maceration on the skins for between 48-72 hours depending on ripeness and tannin content, prior to the first fermentation. For Alexandra Rosé, the maceration approach is enhanced with the introduction of up to 20% Chardonnay from Grand Cru villages Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant and Avize. This vintage wine shows that rosé Champagne can also have the ability to age beautifully.

Rosé Champagne is usually more expensive than Brut, and produced in much smaller volumes.

It is a wine that is ready to enjoy and often provides a great match to accompany food.

Whatever method has been used to produce it, find a good producer and enjoy the diversity of colour, flavour and lift that rosé Champagne brings.

30 great NV and vintage rosé Champagnes to enjoy this summer

The wines are listed in score order starting with non-vintage then vintage

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