Leclerc Briant’s Cuvée Rosé de Saignée 2022 represents the avant-garde and artisanal traditions of Champagne. Produced using the saignée method, this rosé sparkling wine is sourced from organically certified vineyards, highlighting the estate’s commitment to biodiversity and sustainable viticulture. While precise varietals are rarely detailed for rosé de saignée, Pinot Noir often predominates, offering expressive berry character and structure. 2022, a recent vintage with a warm growing season in Champagne, typically yields wines that balance freshness with ripe fruit tones. As an extra-brut Champagne, the dosage is minimal, allowing the purity and vigour of the terroir and fruit to take centre stage, resulting in a taut, dry style that accentuates the gastronomic appeal of the wine.
The Champagne region is renowned for its chalk and limestone soils, which provide exceptional drainage and impart a flinty minerality often detected in fine bottles. The cool continental climate, tempered by Atlantic influences, fosters a long growing season essential for developing the nuance and complexity for which Champagne is famed. The tradition of rosé by saignée is more idiosyncratic here than elsewhere, typically associated with richer, deeper rosés due to brief maceration on the skins and resulting in pronounced notes of wild strawberry, raspberry, and sometimes a touch of spice.
Pair this expressive style with foods that echo its vibrancy. Delicate enough for salmon tartare, fresh sashimi or sushi, it also stands up well to duck breast with a berry reduction or rare lamb with herbs. For a local touch, consider serving it alongside jambon de Reims or a salad with marinated beetroots and goat’s cheese, which will pick up both the fruit and the earthy undertones of the wine.
To fully appreciate the aromatic spectrum and fine mousse of this Champagne rosé, serve chilled at 8-10°C. A tulip-shaped glass will allow the bouquet to unfurl, while the wine’s texture and finesse shine brightest within two to five years of release, making now an excellent moment to open a bottle.
