Iconic Rosé Champagne for Mother’s Day

One of my favorite Champagne occasions of the year is la fête de mères, Mother’s Day. Who else in the world is more deserving of being celebrated than mom? Nothing matches this day of flowers better than rosé Champagne, and no rosé Champagne is as iconic as the Laurent-Perrier. I think it is the perfect wine for a perfect day.

The Laurent-Perrier “Cuvée Rosé” Brut Rosé Champagne is composed entirely of Pinot Noir from 10 grand cru villages. The heart of the wine comes from the south slope of the mountain of Reims, Ambonnay, and Bouzy. All of the skins are macerated with all of the juice at a separate facility for maximum aroma and complexity. This site is secret—even though I have visited Laurnet-Perrier countless times over the past 20 years and met with everyone from the chef de cave Michel Fauconnet to the Family de Nonancourt, I have never seen this facility. Afterward, it is aged for a minimum of five years on the lees, giving it better toast and finesse than almost anything on the market.

This Champagne manages to have the elegance of the best of brut, but with the charming frais du bois wild strawberry character of a macerated rosé Champagne. Not only does the fruit come across as perfectly ripe, but the chalk of the grand cru sites really comes across on the finish. The superior bead and silky texture of the wine were achieved the hard way—with at least 60 months of ageing on the lees under Tour-sur-Marne. I find it delicious on its own, but we had it with some decadent Gruyère gougères for the aperitif, and it was fabulous. One could even pair it with a wild salmon main course. This is an unforgettable wine, for an unforgettable woman.

A toast to mom!

- Gary Westby, Champagne Buyer