Marc Hébrart : Rosé Premier Cru

Nectarine, raspberry, mint, mandarin zest, bruised apple, peach, and red cherries. Bread crust, and herbs with a firm structure. Balanced, food-friendly finish.

(50% chardonnay, 42% pinot noir and 8% still pinot noir; aged for 25 months on its lees and disgorged in March, 2013): Light, bright pink. Pungent, mineral-driven scents of redcurrant and honeysuckle, along with a hint of gingery spice. Focused and tightly wound, displaying finely etched red berry flavors underscored by chalky minerality. Shows a suave blend of depth and vivacity and finishes with very good clarity and spicy persistence.

Pale pink salmon-colored, the NV Champagne 1er Cru Brut Rosé is equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and has 6% vin rouge in the blend. It reveals notes of fresh strawberries, peaches, fresh pastry dough, and a fluffy mousse. Crisp, refreshing, and approachable, I love where this highly charming wine is now, so enjoy it over the next few years.

Entirely sourced in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the NV Brut Rosé Premier Cru is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, of which 7% is added as serious, barrel-fermented red wine to give the color. Assembling the 2012 and 2014 vintages, it is dosed with seven grams per liter and comes on the palate as a very clear, delicate, fresh and remarkably elegant rosé with lovely purity and precision. It's a great mix of generous fruit and chalky finesse.