Armand De Brignac Rosé

The Armand de Brignac Rosé champagne is a smooth and bubbly rosé with a beautiful pink color, all in all just a great rosé champagne. On the nose, there are notes of currants, cherries, and strawberries, as well as a hint of sweet almonds. This rosé is made with the blending method of making rosé champagne. They have done it by mixing 15 percent red wine made from pinot noir into the finished champagne. This gives beautiful nuances of berries, such as blackcurrant, blackberry, and cherry, as well as nuances of toasted bread. The Chardonnay grapes contribute elegance and lightness. A deep and fruity rosé that can be enjoyed on any occasion.

Armand de Brignac produces their champagnes exclusively from the juice of the first pressing, which classifies it as a Prestige Cuvee. A Cuvee Prestige contains only the best wine from each harvest, so the champagne becomes more complex and flavorful as it ages. And it is a true sign of quality.

After many months of storage in the lime cellars, the bottles are placed in wooden racks to now undergo "Remuage", where each bottle is turned a little every day per by hand by the wine cellar master. They do that to remove deposits in the bottlenecks. It takes a whole month of daily small turns to clean the wine without disturbing the natural ageing. After this, the top of the bottle is frozen to create a ice cube made of the yeast that was is the bottle then the deposits are pushed out by a "Degorgement" process. Next, a special liqueur called "dosage" is added to the blend, made according to a secret recipe that has been passed down in the family over the last many years. The liqueur is made from fine cane sugar and a mixture of the very best still wines from previous harvests and is stored in wooden barrels.

Another detail that adds extra finesse to Armand de Brignac is that the bottles are corked and sealed and then the 4 metal labels are fitted manually by a craftsman who finishes by polishing the bottle, no 2 bottles are alike, each bottle of Champagne Armand de Brignac is completely unique. But one thing is for sure, in every bottle of Armand de Brignac, there is buttery soft, creamy, rich, and complex champagne inside.

Comments from a tasting:

"The second cuvée, launched approximately three years after the Gold bottle. Fifteen percent of red wine from Cattier’s own vineyard in Montagne de Reims is added to the final blend, which is made from the 2009, 2010 and 2012 vintages. It's made from 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay. There's an abundance of dark fruit with notes of black cherry and blackcurrant. While full bodied, it's fresh, pure and vibrant, with delicate red fruits. The tangy acidity keeps the wine energised and fresh. Like the Gold Brut, it feels much drier than its 8.5g/l dosage."

93/100

Christelle Guibert, decanter.com, 24 Nov 2016

Product information

Size: 0,75 L 
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Dosage: Brut (8,5g/l)
Notes: blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry, and toasted bread
ABV: 12.5% Vol.
Made in: France, Champagne
Produced by: Armand De Brignac, France
Including: champagne + box
Condition: Brand new, (may have minor imperfections from shipping)
Other information: contains sulfites