It’s always interesting to us how the industry not only pushes Champagne during the winter holidays but for Valentine’s Day and June (wedding season, as if there are a lot of people that are going to pour $50-60 French Champagne at a reception). So we’re going tell you upfront that, yeah, it may be a little late to hear about a potential Valentine selection but we are just taking the opportunity to talk about a Champagne we happen to like and is a little something different.
Domaine Jean Vesselle was established in the 1800s and has been cultivating Pinot Noir (mostly) and Chardonnay in the premier area for Pinot in Champagne, Bouzy. They craft “grower” Champagne here, a récoltant-manipulant house that grows its own grapes and makes its own wine all on site. This qualitative difference is crucial for those seeking the ultimate in Champagne flavor and character.
The family’s vineyards are planted to 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, a fidelity to Pinot Noir that’s much greater than other houses in the region. Vines are cared for according to lutte raisonée principles, concentrating mostly on organic practices and avoiding chemical treatments. Vineyard rows are plowed to avoid the use of herbicides. The estate too uses solar energy and recycles rainwater to reduce its energy footprint.
To be up front, the Jean Vesselle Brut Rosé de Saignée NV is not your typical pink sparkler. It is not like the gushingly fruit-forward style of something like Laurent Perrier. It is rather a rose for a more experienced Champagne aficionado and has a wider range of food applications. The difference is the process.
Most pink Champagnes are made by taking still red wine and blending it back into the cuvee to add the color. A rose de saignee gets its color from skin contact. It doesn’t sound like a big deal but it makes a difference in that the finished Champagne has a somewhat more savory streak and more of a red wine aspect to the flavors. The difference is subtle but important, and in this case quite delicious.
The Jean Vesselle Rose de Saignee Brut is made from 100% Pinot Noir with the juice macerated from 24-48 hours on the skins after which the juice is ‘bled off’. It then sees a minimum of three years in the bottle. We’ll finish with a quote from Antonio Galloni on a prior vintage as we believe it tells the story nicely, “The NV Brut Rosé de Saignée is phenomenally beautiful. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender, red berries and cinnamon abound in a rich, vinous Champagne endowed with magnificent depth and intensity. The flavors are deep and resonant, but it is the wine’s bold fruit and supporting minerality that I find absolutely compelling.”
It isn’t rose for occasional sippers, but it is a serious effort that will really push some people’s buttons.