Champagne 'Grand Siecle Alexandra Rose' Brut 1997 by Laurent Perrier

Champagne, France

Bought in Canada @ around RMB 1,500 in May, 2008

Tasted on August 13, 2008 @ Cantonese restaurant 厚街粤菜馆

Deepish salmon pink with bright copper hue. Delicate bubbles. The pink cordon in the  glass upon pouring is a special feast on the eyes.

The nose is WILD! Raspberry and orange peel mingled with smoke and spice. This is serious stuff.

Mountain-stream-purity of steely mineral core packed in a velvety robe of red berry fruit and spice. The palate is penetrating! A wine of assertiveness that allows you no room for hesitation. All you can do is to be shocked by her purity and depth. By 'purity', I don't mean 'simplicity' but rather 'assertive intensity' with 'restrained complexity'. 

I had come across quite some rose champagnes before, but I had been largely disappointed. The ones I had were either too light and weak (just pink dyed for more money) or too sweet and dull (simply red fruit bombs). Such previous experiences make me wonder whether rose champagne can be made in a serious way at all...Now, thanks to Alexandra Rose 1997, I am so happy to find out that pink bubbly can also run so deep! Albeit such credit may only goes to a rare few.

Composition: 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay

Wine making: All Pinot Noir juice went through 'saignee'(also called 'maceration', or 'skin contact'), then blended with small portion of Chardonnry before undergoing 2nd fermentation in the bottle.

Production: Only produced in exceptional vintage years. And the production never exceeds 2,000 six-bottle cases. So just don't hesitate when you ever come across this rare bird...

A feast to the eyes: Alexandra Rose old labelled 1990 vintage