Andre Clouet Rose No. 3 Reserve NV Champagne

Ultimate gastro Champagne, savoury, rich and deepe. 6-8g dosage (no austerity) and abv12%, 100% Pinot Noir, 36 months on lees, read on for Andre's outrageous(ly good) tasting note...  Opening scene : We find Marie Antoinette, the future Queen of France walking in vineyards in Bouzy. The year is 1770. A dinner in honor of the future Queen is to be held in a castle not far from the village. Enter : Andre Clouet, who started to entertain the guests at the Queen’s table by adding a few drops of red wine from Champagne to white wine. Known as “Bouzy Rouge,” this Vin des Sacres, was the red wine served to celebrate the crowning of the French Kings. On that night, the ladies at the table eyes began to sparkle with amazement as the white wine became pink. Standing, the men raised a toast to the Queen and Andre Clouet proclaimed: “This is how we perfect Pinot Noir in Champagne! Now the Burgundians will just have to deal with it!” A few years later, a cousin placed an order for some of this pink wine, but sparkling this time, for her crazy English friends! ANDRE CLOUET Clouet N°3 was inspired by Coco Chanel, the number introduced to denote the style, recognising that the colour is different each year, with the number 3 representing a light, elegant apéritif style. Clouet’s base rosé epitomises elegance and focus, while flamboyantly celebrating the generous raspberries, red cherries and pomegranates of Bouzy. The depth and presence of the village are sensitively toned by the lively, bright acidity and fresh precision of the house. Structure is fine and confident, driven by the chalk minerality of the village, working seamlessly in concert with finely executed tannin texture. It finishes with great length, vibrancy and elegance, with lingering poise and detail of exquisite red berry fruits. An engaging and enticingly priced rosé of primary integrity and pretty medium salmon crimson hue. 94 POINTS, TYSON STELZER, THE CHAMPAGNE GUIDE