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 rosé 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 Rosé Réserve, 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.