Wine Reviews

Enticing floral and spice notes lead the way, but a pure beam of strawberry pâte de fruit and flavors of pastry cream, passion fruit coulis and salted Marcona almond expand on the satiny mousse, supported by finely meshed, mouthwatering acidity. Long on the finish, with an echo of chalky minerality.

Disgorged in February 2025 with a dosage of nine grams per liter, the 2012 Comtes de Champagne Rosé opens with a flamboyant, perfumed bouquet of crushed raspberry, blood orange and cherry, mingling with sweet red plum and hints of timut pepper. The full-bodied palate is layered, broad and textural, its generous core of fruit sustained by ripe yet racy acidity and a pillowy mousse that lends liveliness, before the wine culminates in a long, enveloping finish with a touch of phenolic bitterness. Composed of 60% Pinot Noir—including 16% still red wine from Bouzy—and 40% Chardonnay, it can already be enjoyed with satisfaction, though one should reasonably anticipate that it will accrue additional complexity after a few more years under cork.

A rush of red cherry fruit, kirsch, blood orange, cinnamon and rose petal soars out of the glass. Vertical structure and tons of energy are the signatures. I would be thrilled to own this.

The 2013 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is a wild, exotic wine that is going to need at least several years to come together. It is the sort of wine that only develops in bottle. Tasted from a trial disgorgement, the 2013 is super-impressive and very promising, but it’s also an infant.

This shows fragrant grapefruit, wild raspberry, iodine, honey, blood orange, salty bread and hazelnut aromas. It’s sleek, taut and superbly fresh on the palate. The red and orange citrus pinot noir character is singing at the moment, accompanied by salty and mineral nuances. Seamless and long, and taut at the end. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, all from grand cru sites.