This is a saignée rosé made in an innovative way. The pinot noir comes from a lieu dit in Vertus named “La Barre” and is macerated for 48 hours before pressing. It then goes into barrel for up to one year before it is blended with Vertus chardonnay for bottling. The final blend is 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir, all from 2016 harvest. It was disgorged with 3.5 grams MCR dosage. It’s not a sparkling red wine, as some saignée Champagnes have become, but it is intense in color and character; “anthocyanes” means pigment, after all. Raspberry, cinnamon spice and clove flavors are present in this rather full-bodied rosé Champagne.
