Brut Rosé Champagne

Bottle 13-disg 2009, 2004 base. Greater intensity and freshness on the nose vs bottle 12. The oxidative notes integrate with scents of spice . On the palate complexity with freshness. A landslide of apples, oranges and minerals.

Bottle 12- disg 2010, 2003 base. Red currants and scents of oxidation on the nose. In the mouth a variety of red berries joined by nuts and honey . Good concentration and complexity but showing signs of fatigue.

2018 Disgorgement is on fire tonight, intensely aromatic and simply unmistakable with its infinite layers of spiced red berry fruit, blood orange and chalky minerals that wrap around the palate, with singular texture, weight and density, giving way to a chiseled, vibrant and incredibly long finale. Just nothing like it.

Drinking at the source…Les Avises restaurant at Jacques Selosse. Home for the weekend at Hoteles Avises.

Bucket list wine for me and it lived up to the hype. I love the Selosse champagnes for their oxidative profile and was curious how a rosé would drink made in that same manner…just a hint of sherry in the glass before an absolute tidal wave of flavor and power. Dried apricot, plum, cranberry and orange marmalade out of the gate. There is a sweet/savory roller coaster showing red flowers and shortbread before a pink sea salt and truffle spice arrives. Texturally, it’s commanding but so cerbreal. If you enjoy Egly Ouriet’s rosé, imagine more depth and complexity and you’ve got it. Stunning rosé and the best rosé champagne I’ve had.

Taught with wild strawberry and flint. Light flowers and a tart sharpness. Pretty

When we went to Paris a couple of years ago, my wife and daughter had fun shopping but by the end of the trip I had bought nothing for myself. So they (out of mild guilt, perhaps?) urged me to get myself something nice. So on our last day I wandered into @la_derniere_goutte and poked around until this bottle (and its astonishingly good price) caught my eye. So I brought it back and last night opened it with some of our very best wine-loving friends. Never having had a Selosse rosé (not even when I visited Anselme for a tasting) I didn’t know what to expect. What I got was dried orange peel and wet leaves, a touch of toasted brioche, a little salinity and a hint of caramel, all with a soft, slightly fading mousse. It didn’t blow my mind (as Selosse wines often do) so I have a nagging sense that my bottle might have been light struck or slightly oxidized, but as someone who appreciates oxidative winemaking, I enjoyed it a lot. Only one thing to do, and that’s try another bottle sometime. A blend of Chardonnay from Avize and 2 vintages of Pinot Noir from Ambonnay. Disgorged in 2017.

Never tire of this! Best Rosé

Very nice. Slightly drying alpine strawberry with a hint of dried roses. Then a steely middle and a lovely, intense finish. A classy dry and restrained rose

The NV (2013) Rosé is another positively stellar wine in a range of Champagnes that literally dazzles from the first wine to the last. Tense and transparent, the Rosé is super-expressive. Drops of still Pinot add a dash of color and flavor intensity, but the Selosse Rosé is ultimately driven by bright Chardonnay citrus, floral and mineral notes that build through to the textured, inviting finish. Dosage is 1.8 grams per liter. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, July 2019)

How does this marry oxidation and freshness and tension so seamlessly? Compelling. Better warmer, and best with food. You could have this as an apero, but there's more to be discovered as it finds its place at the table. Hard to believe this is almost all Chardonnay. Unique.