What kind of wine is Champagne Extra Brut Rosé 'Rosé de Meunier' - Laherte Frères?

The Champagne Extra Brut Rosé “Rosé de Meunier” - Laherte Frères is one of the most authentic and surprising expressions of the Vallée de la Marne terroir, an area historically suited to the cultivation of Pinot Meunier. The Laherte Frères winery, a family business now led by Aurélien Laherte, interprets this grape variety with a modern style that remains faithful to the Champagne tradition, enhancing the identity of individual plots of old vines.

Produced with the Champenoise method or “classic method” – meaning the second fermentation in the bottle that gives the wine its typical bubbles – this Extra Brut Rosé offers an elegant and gastronomic interpretation of a variety often considered minor, but which here reveals a personality of great finesse and complexity.

Vintage Details

The vintage is characterized by balanced climatic conditions, with a cool summer and a dry autumn that favored a slow and even ripening of the grapes. The Pinot Meunier bunches, from different plots of the Laherte Frères property, were hand-picked to preserve the integrity of the berries and the aromatic freshness of the fruit.

Winemaking and Aging

The Champagne Extra Brut Rosé 'Rosé de Meunier' - Laherte Frères is born from a careful winemaking process that combines a portion of white base wine with a proportion of red Pinot Meunier wine, to obtain the characteristic rosé color. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels, where the wine ages for a few months in contact with fine lees, enriching its structure and aromatic complexity. This is followed by secondary fermentation in the bottle, with a long period on the yeasts that gives creaminess and persistence. The Extra Brut dosage (between 0 and 6 g/l of sugar) enhances the purity and balance of the wine without compromising its freshness.

Tasting Notes

Color

In the glass, it presents with a pale and brilliant pink, traversed by fine and numerous bubbles that form a fine and persistent mousse, indicative of careful secondary fermentation and long aging on the lees.

Nose

The aromatic profile opens with elegant notes of small red fruits – raspberry, redcurrant, and wild strawberry – followed by floral notes of rose and citrus accents. With aeration, slight nuances of bread crust and sweet spices emerge, typical of wood aging and prolonged contact with yeasts.

Palate

On the palate, it reveals a broad and vibrant sip, where freshness and structure harmoniously blend. The perlage (bubbles) is fine and creamy, supporting a pleasant sensation of balance between fruit, acidity, and minerality. The finish is long, clean, and savory, with a fragrant return of red fruits and citrus that invites a second glass.

Food Pairings for Champagne Extra Brut Rosé 'Rosé de Meunier' - Laherte Frères

Thanks to its versatility, this Extra Brut Rosé Champagne pairs ideally with seafood and white meats. Perfect to accompany:

• raw fish and tuna or salmon carpaccio
• oysters and crustaceans
• risottos with citrus or seafood
• lightly spiced poultry or vitello tonnato
• fresh or soft cheeses

It is also excellent as an aperitif Champagne for a refined but casual tasting.

Storage and Aging: How to store Champagne Extra Brut Rosé 'Rosé de Meunier' - Laherte Frères

To preserve the freshness and complexity of the wine, it is important to follow a few simple rules:

• Temperature: Store the bottle at a constant 10 to 12°C.
• Light: Avoid direct light, especially sunlight, which can alter the color and aromas.
• Position: Keep the bottle horizontally, so that the cork remains moist and maintains its seal.

If well-preserved, the Champagne Extra Brut Rosé 'Rosé de Meunier' - Laherte Frères can evolve for several years, developing more complex nuances while maintaining its unmistakable freshness and vitality.