COLUMNS GASTRONOME FEBRUARY 2006

WORDS BY Jane Black

Think pink Champagne is tacky? Think pink again…

It’s Valentine’s Day. Again. And the pressure is on to come up with something really special for that special someone. You want it to be original without straying too far from our accepted definition of romance. It should be roses and Champagne—but with a twist. The perfect solution? Rosé Champagne.

Rosé? But that’s tacky, you silently scream. Quite the contrary. While we Americans have been sleeping off a 20-year hangover from the sickly sweet White Zinfandel that we oh-so-sophisticatedly sipped in the ’80s, the rest of the world has been raising a toast to rosé. They love it because it’s rare—less than 5% of Champagne production is rosé. They love its bouquet of summer berries and spice, and its delicate bubbles that tickle the palate and go straight to the head. And yes, they love it because Champagne looks very pretty in pink.

And so, at long last, Americans are opening their minds to the romance of rosé. It’s increasingly popular with women (who buy a whopping 77% of wine in the United States) and with younger drinkers. Rosé also got a boost last summer when megastar Tom Cruise announced he popped the cork of a pricey bottle of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé before he popped the question to Katie.

Perhaps that’s the real reason she said yes. After all, it’s easy to fall in love with the seductive range of rosés. Pink Champagne comes in an extraordinary range of colors—from pale salmon and topaz to petal pink and brilliant raspberry. And although rosés look different, they are made using almost the same method as traditional Champagne. In most cases, the only change is that winemakers add a small amount of local red wines, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier, to the base. (A few ambitious Champagne houses, such as Krug, use a more complex method, where the red grape skins are left in contact with the white juice in order to subtly change the color.) The result: A glorious pink bubbly that, unlike cloying White Zin, has the clean, creamy and biscuity fl avor of old school Champagne.

The allure of rosés doesn’t end there. Pink Champagne also is the perfect partner for almost any food. Not just caviar, but wild mushrooms, pasta with creamy smoked salmon and peas, grilled seafood and especially game, such as quail and duck. Rosés even match hard-to-pair dishes such as spicy Asian food and sushi.

There is, however, one catch: the price. Since rosés are rare, they’re also expensive. Be sure that you’ve found “the one” before you run out to purchase the Louis Roederer Cristal 1996 Rosé that sells for $369 or Dom Perignon’s 1990 vintage at $350 a bottle. Still, there are relative bargains to be found. There are dozens of delicious, non-vintage rosés for under $50—a good place to start if you are on a budget… or if you fall head over heels in love with rosés and decide to drink them all year round.

Fall in love… with rosé Champagne

Krug Brut Rosé

Orangey-gold in color, each sip is a swirl of coffee, fig and orange peel, and that’s just the start. The long finish tastes of strawberries, rose petal and minerals.

1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame

They don’t call this creamy bubbly La Grande Dame for nothing. Rich and layered with fl avors of roasted lemon and honey, it’s the definition of seduction.

Pommery Brut Rosé

This non-vintage Champagne proves that luxury doesn’t need to be expensive. Pale salmon in color with gorgeously persistent bubbles, it’s the perfect partner for food or on its own.

Piper-Heidsieck NV Brut Rosé Sauvage

As bright and cheerful as its hot-pink label suggests, this Champagne is pale salmon in color and delivers a bouquet of red fruits and rich cherry, cranberry and spice on the palate.