Rosé Champagne can be made in two ways. The most used method is the rosé d’assemblage. That means adding a little red wine to the white wine before bottling. The red wine is of course also made from grapes grown in the Champagne appellation
The second method is called saignée in French and it means that the red grapes macerate for a short time with the must to give it a light colour.
Some Champagne producers think this is the absolute best way, while others consider it harder to know exactly what colour you get with this method.
The blending method is thus most common but it does not mean that all pink champagnes made in this way have the same colour. Far from it! We opened two Rosé Champagnes the other day and the proof was there, just in front of us. The colours were completely different.
Champagne Maxime Toubart Rosé Brut: Very light in colour with delicate aromas. Feels actually more like a white champagne than a rosé. But the colour is beautiful. Dry, fresh and crispy with just the hint of red berries. Delicious.
Champagne Thevenet Delouvin Carte Rosée: Strong colour and flavours of red berries, especially strawberry. Fine and soft mousse. Delicious also but very different in style.
Both producers are small family firms in the heart of the Vallée de la Marne.
