Rosé

Rosé-Champagner haben eine lange und bewegte Vergangenheit. Rosé-Weine sind schon seit vielen Jahrhunderten bekannt. Auch Weine aus der Champagne, im 16. Jahrhundert als Vin Gris bekannt und verehrt, waren rosafarbene Getränke. Mönche wie Perignon und Oudart investierten all ihr Talent, um letzten Endes erfolgreich weiße Weine aus blauen Trauben zu keltern. Sicherlich wären diese Mönche entsetzt gewesen, wenn sie mitbekommen hätten, dass die berühmte Witwe Clicquot später die absichtliche Produktion auch rosafarbener Champagne 1777 erfolgreich einführte.

As a result, rosé champagnes have experienced fluctuating popularity to this day. Around 1850, for example, they were very popular, after which their popularity declined until they became very popular again around 1900. At that time, they were often referred to as Oeil de Perdrix (eye of the partridge). Today, rosé has a relatively small but loyal following among connoisseurs (only around 3% of the champagnes produced today are rosé champagnes). It is particularly popular among women, especially as rosé is considered the colour of love and innocence and also has a gentle and warming effect. A rosé is a first-class complement to meat dishes, both in terms of colour and taste.

One reason why rosé champagnes are ignored by some connoisseurs - especially in the USA - is due to a misconception about their colour: This is because they have long been aware of countless cheap, pink-coloured sparkling wines, most of which are characterised by an unpleasantly sweet note.

Rosé champagnes, on the other hand, are not sweet, but dry sparkling wines, which, as first-class, full-bodied champagnes, are not inferior to champagnes of any other colour. On average, rosé champagnes are also slightly more expensive than their white counterparts. Many champagne houses have a rosé in their range.

The production of rosé champagnes is somewhat more complex than that of standard champagnes. The seductive colour is achieved either through elaborate maceration or the short-term soaking of the skin of the blue grapes in the must (method known as 'saignée') or through the qualified addition of red wines. The pink colour of the house brand champagnes created in this way must match exactly from year to year.

 

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