Champagne Pouillon Rose de Maceration Brut 1er Cru 750ml

The garnet-colored NV Brut Premier Cru Rosé is exclusively made from Pinot Noir grown in Mareuil Sur Ay during the vintages of 2010 (80%) and 2009 (20%). The part of 2009 was achieved by saignée and aged in barrels, whereas the larger part got its color and character by a short maceration. The champagne opens with an aromatic yet vinous Pinot-maturity on the nose, displaying ripe and candied cherries, red berries and floral aromas. Full, round and fruit-intense on the palate, this elegant fizz is a good partner with food, but does also well performing as a soloist; though I find it a little bit too sweetly dosed. (The wine I tasted was disgorged with a dosage of 7 grams per liter in the first trimester 2013.)

Score: 88 points -- Stephan Reinhardt, Robertparker.com, Oct 2015

---

R(oger) Pouillon is a highly interesting 15 hectares family domaine based in Mareuil-sur-Ay. Operated by Fabrice and Elodie Pouillon in the third generation, the domaine cultivates 68 parcels in total in several villages of the (Petite) Montagne de Reims (Ecueil) and the Marne Valley (Ay, Epernay, Les Mesnil-sur-Oger et al.). They switched to biodynamic farming in 2003 and ferment each parcel on its own partly in oak (tonneaux and pièces), partly in stainless steel. The wines are medium to full-bodied and serious Champagnes that are always clear, well structured and mostly really dry. Some of them would benefit from further bottle age, whereas the wines that were dosed with seven grams are rather fruit-intense and round crowd-pleasers.