NV Deutz, Rose
Regular price £26.50 Save £-26.50ABOUT THE WINE
One of the oldest members of Champagne's prestigious Grandes Marques houses, Champagne Deutz of Ay, France, has been making distinctive champagnes marked by finesse, elegance and complexity since 1838. The house has upheld the traditions of fine Champagne making handed down through five generations. Owning a significant portion of its own vineyards, Deutz selects only top rated grapes from 275 acres of vineyards in the finest crus of Champagne. The wines are slowly and carefully aged in the chalk-walled cellars far beneath the historic village of Ay.
TASTING NOTES
The colour of the wine is many-hued, with strong pink tinges and fine bubbles. The nose is fresh and direct, with aromas of cherries, blackberries, pomegranates and red currants. On the palate the wine shows a deliciously full body that follows on perfectly from the nose, with flavours reminiscent of strawberries and raspberries and a pleasantly well-balanced finish.
FOOD PAIRING
Salmon cooked with mushrooms, beef carpaccio, duck with cranberry sauce or very creamy cheese like Chaource or Brillat Savarin.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
This Brut Rose is made exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes from the Montagne de Reims region, and from Premiers Crus and Grands Crus. The specific style and color result from the blending in of 8 percent of red wine produced from a plot of old vines on the hill of Ay and from a plot known as Meurtet. Both are particularly well-sited and belong to Deutz.
NV Champagne Ruinart, Brut Rose
Regular price £96.00 Save £-96.00ABOUT THE WINE
Ruinart is a low profile, yet select Champagne house, steeped in history. It dates back to the 17th century, the time of the famous Dom Perignon. It was founded in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart in the city of Reims, the year after a Royal Decree in 1728 whereby Louis XV gave his consent for sparkling wines to be shipped in baskets containing 50 to 100 bottles. This opened the gates of Europe to champagne and thus makes Ruinart the oldest Champagne House. Since the Second World War, the house has become synonymous with class and its production of only 1.7 million bottles per annum is small compared to other grande marques.
TASTING NOTES
A subtle nose of rosehip, spice and wild strawberry; on the palate the wine marries exuberant fruit with a rich velvety texture.
FOOD PAIRING
Thin slices of fine Italian prosciutto (San Daniele, Parma, etc.) A starter of salmon prepared as a Japanese 'tataki', will reveal its many facets. Leg of milk-fed lamb or a low temperature cooked veal fillet.
FRIARDOOD SAYS
Ruinart is famous for their Rosé; justly so!
NV Bollinger, Rose
Regular price £60.00 Save £-60.00ABOUT THE WINE
Athanase de Villermont, the youngest son of a noble family inherited an extensive estate from his family in the Ay area. He immediately foresaw the extraordinary potential of the wines of Champagne, but as an aristocrat he was forbidden to become involved in trade. He then met Joseph Bollinger, a widely travelled German who had left his country of birth to learn about the Champagne wine trade, and Paul Renaudin, a local man who was fascinated by the world of wine. The firm of Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie was founded on 6th February 1829. Joseph took care of sales and Paul of the cellar. Athanase had founded a champagne House that was to endure through the centuries.
TASTING NOTES
Nice bronze tones combined with the intense depth of a great red wine. On the nose the nobility of red berries: hints of red currant, cherry and wild strawberry with a spicy touch. A subtle combination of structure on the palate, length and vivacity, with a tannic finish due to the adjunction of red wine Bubbles as fine as velvet. Flavours of wild berries.
FOOD PAIRING
Perfect for a picnic on a summer afternoon, as a pre-dinner drink or served with a fruity and tart dessert.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
Cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation, this is a great rose!
NV Moet & Chandon, Rose Imperial
Regular price £61.50 Save £-61.50ABOUT THE WINE
Established in 1743 by Claude Moët, Moët et Chandon is one of the most prominent producers in Champagne, producing around 28 million bottles annually. They were the first Champagne house to produce only sparkling wines, and worked tirelessly to promote the style both in the royal court of France and internationally. Today they own or lease 1,150 hectares of vineyards, and produce approximately 28,000,000 bottles of champagne annually.
TASTING NOTES
Lively and expressive, revealing intense aromas of fresh red summer berries, strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant with floral notes of rose, hawthorn and a light peppery touch.
FOOD PAIRING
Salmon, mussels, red fruit tarte; all are good accompaniments.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
Such attractive balance. Interestingly, more than 20% of production at Moët et Chandon is rosé, around twice the average for the region.
2014 Bollinger La Grande Annee Rose
Regular price £199.00 Save £-199.00ABOUT THE WINE
Athanase de Villermont, the youngest son of a noble family inherited an extensive estate from his family in the Ay area. He immediately foresaw the extraordinary potential of the wines of Champagne, but as an aristocrat, he was forbidden to become involved in the trade. He then met Joseph Bollinger, a widely travelled German who had left his country of birth to learn about the Champagne wine trade, and Paul Renaudin, a local man who was fascinated by the world of wine. The firm of Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie was founded on 6th February 1829. Joseph took care of sales and Paul took of the cellar. Athanase had founded a Champagne House that was to endure through the centuries.
TASTING NOTES
A Champagne with a true fruit mosaic. It features a delightful blend of raspberry, wild strawberries, cherries, and ripe cranberries. The fruity bouquet is further completed with notes of peach and quince. It fills the mouth with a sumptuous, creamy effervescence and splendid volume in the mouth, and long-lasting aromatic persistence. It has a wonderful acidity and a distinctive sea-air characteristic that goes perfectly with the flavours of orchard fruits and berries.
FOOD PAIRING
Lobster bisque, truffle risotto and duck confit with with creamed potatoes
FRIARWOOD SAYS
A luxurious blend of La Grande Année 2014 and a unique red wine from the Côte aux Enfants in Coteaux Champenois