The Louis Roederer Vintage Rose is a unique type of Champagne. Roederer is one of the few houses to still use skin maceration in its winemaking. This is a delicate method that consists of letting Pinot Noirs macerate several hours on the press to extract more fruit and color. This process requires very concentrated and aromatic Pinot Noir grapes that come from the very old vines of the Cumieres. The wine is salmon pink in color, tinged with orangey-red highlights and ultra-fine bubbles. It is fabulously rich and lush on the nose, with an almost sappy opulence of juicy red and black berries (raspberries, read more...strawberries, bilberries and blackcurrants), layering with ripe scents of candied and crystallized fruits plus a whiff of caramel and cocoa. The wine is ample and creamy on the attack, with plenty of mouth-filling richness. The acidity is pure, mineral and crystalline, as crisp as biting into fresh fruit, deliciously light and subtle nonetheless. Red fruits still very much to the fore but with the added complexity of acacia blossom and nutty hints of hazelnuts and almonds. Overall, this is a complex Brut Rose, with a robust, vinous structure, but remains fresh and elegant due to its enduring acidity. Thanks to its structure and vinosity, 2000 Brut Rose is a perfect accompaniment to fish (salmon in particular) or meats such as lamb, veal, fowl or even pheasant. In addition, this wine is an ideal complement to creamy cheeses or the sharpness of a soft fruit pudding.    (hide)