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Ratings & Reviews

91 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"This wine is a shade of cantaloupe, and that fruit shows on the nose of this bottling alongside ripe apple and bubblegum aromas. There’s a firm tension to the palate, where melon flavors are cut by wet stone elements." - Matt Kettmann (8/1/2022)
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The real name for Ace of Spades is actually Armand de Brignac. The Champagne is produced by Champagne Cattier, though has acquired its colloquial nickname due to the recognizable design on the bottle.

Notes from the Winemaker:

The Champagne Armand de Brignac Rosé is crafted with Pinot Noir from old vines, planted in the Montagne de Reims, that produce fruit with powerful flavor intensity. The resulting cuvée features bright, fresh layers of red fruits, complemented by hints of baked pastry aromas.

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 50% Pinot Noir / 40% Pinot Meunier / 10% Chardonnay

DOSAGE: 9.5g/L

Tasting Notes:
Strawberry, currants and cherry on the nose, with floral hints and a touch of sweet almond. The red grape dominance brings a structured palate filled with black fruits, cherries and hints of baked pastry.

FOOD PAIRING: Ideal as an aperitif or pairs well with truffled veal, duck confit and wild salmon.

Ratings & Reviews

92 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"A confident copper blush and an immediately seductive nose of soft spice, red currants and sweet almond. The blend here is dominated by the Pinots, with 50% Noir and 40% Meunier leaving only a whisper of elegant Chardonnay. The three contributory vintages in question are 2013, 2014 and 2015, youthful therefore, yet the wine does not lack for depth and complexity. A beguiling almost savoury depth is immediately evident, courtesy in no small measure to the quality of the red wine, 15% added as Pinot Noir from exceptionally old vines in the village of Ludes. Old vines and a young wine; wisdom, depth and youthful energy in this instance make up a winning combination.” – Simon Field, MW (Sep 2019)

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A mouthwatering rosé Champagne, with a lively bead, this offers savory notes of slivered almond and fleur de sel along with layers of ripe raspberry and black cherry fruit, star anise and orange peel flavors. Delivers a lasting, vibrant finish. Drink now through 2022." - AN (Nov 2017)

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About this Champagne:
Created in 1988 as a tribute to the House’s co-founder Elisabeth Salmon, this cuvée distinguishes itself through its sparkle and refined purity of grandeur and unique character. This great, rare and sought after wine, subtly offers the signature of our top Pinot Noir and Chardonnay terroirs. The presence of an ancestral savoir-faire is recognized through the art of assemblage and rigorous selection from an exceptional harvest.

• Appearance: A salmon pink tint and sparkling luminous visual presence is underscored by a gracious and persistent effervescent veil. A very seductive visual ensemble, with a soft shimmering reflection, rising to an accomplished articulation of a great vintage.
• Aroma: It is a refreshing sensorial expression of crisp red berries, citrus peel and stone fruits. With the exquisite sensation of a rich and complex aromatic generosity (fresh figs, white peach, almond macaroons). Ripe olfactive notes respectfully soften the distinctive perfume of wild strawberries and scented spring roses.
• Palate: A powerful yet delicate impact owing to the noble and harmonious maturing of flavors (nectarine, cardamom). An ample and pure character in the mouth unveiling the soft spices of tangy mandarin and the persistent flavors of cedar and exotic wood.
• Serving: This great wine, with its extreme finesse, is a sign of the delicate personality of its textures and flavors. An aromatic charm with a rare mineral dimension, marries well with beautiful creamy poultry, in particular poulet de Bresse, langoustines royales and crunchy hibiscus macaroons. Serve at 11-12°.

Ratings & Reviews

98 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"A superb vintage of this renowned prestige cuvée, this is made from a base of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, to which is added 9% of red wine. Despite ageing on its lees for 10 years, it remains almost shockingly youthful, its vividly primary flavours of red cherry, strawberry and nectarine wrapped up in a taut, tense frame. It’s silky in texture and intricately complex on the long, elegantly harmonious finish, underlined by a saline chalkiness, and it demonstrates all the requisite completeness and character for long ageing, promising a slow and dignified evolution to come. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050." - Peter Liem (Mar 2021)

97+ Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon explodes from the glass with a mesmerizing array of aromas, flavors and textures. Blood orange, cinnamon, mint and dried flowers. The 2008 is incredibly young, but it is also incredibly tempting. Patience will be rewarded. In the meantime, readers might enjoy adding a few bottles of the stellar 2007 to their cellars, as the nervy, taut 2008 needs time. The 2008 is 55% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ, Verzy, Verzenay and Mareuil) and 45% Chardonnay (from Chouilly, Avize and Cramant), with 9% still wine from Mareuil. It is the first vintage that includes a portion of wines (17%) done in barrel and the first vintage in which the magnums were aged on the cork rather than on crown seal. Dosage is 7 grams per liter." - Antonio Galloni (Mar 2021)

97+ Points - Wine Advocate:
"Disgorged with seven grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is one of the finest wines I've tasted from Billecart in recent years. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of peach, mandarin oil, warm bread, red berries and petals, it's full-bodied, deep and vinous, with lovely mid-palate amplitude, terrific concentration and bright girdling acids. In what is quite a tightly wound vintage and from a house whose style is rather understated, this is a dramatic, fleshy wine that concludes with a long, flavorful finish." - William Kelley (Sep 2021)

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Notes from the Winemaker:

Taittinger Prestige Rosé immediately stands out for its intense, shimmering hue whose secret lies in the fact that it is a blend, which is more complex and costly to produce.

A quantity of still red wine (15%) produced from the best Pinot Noirs from Montagne de Reims and Les Riceys is in fact added to the final blend, to give this cuvée its unmistakable color and vibrant intensity on the palate. The high proportion of Chardonnay (30%) that completes the blend brings the elegance and delicacy that underpin Taittinger’s signature style.

Tasting

The intense and brilliant body is bright pink in color. The bubbles are fine, and the mousse persistent. The full nose, wonderfully expressive, is both fresh and young. It gives off aromas of red fruits (freshly crushed wild raspberry, cherry, blackcurrant).
On the palate, this wine strikes a fine balance of velvety and full-bodied. The flavors are reminiscent of fresh, crisp red fruits. The palate can be summed up in four words: lively, fruity, fresh and elegant, as only a rosé blend can be.

Drinking suggestions:
Taittinger Prestige Rosé can be enjoyed both early on and at the end of an evening. Deliciously fragranced for an aperitif, it is also a subtle accompaniment to fruit desserts, including fruit tart, fruit salad and red fruit crumble.

Ratings & Reviews

92 Points - James Suckling:
"Blood orange color with attractive notes of cherry stones, dried flowers, strawberries and tangerines. Hints of iron and pie crust. Full of flavor, with a full body, sleek bubbles and a deep, beautiful fruit quality. Blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier with 14% red wine. Drink now. (Jul 2023)

91 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The latest release of Taittinger's NV Brut Prestige Rosé is showing very well, revealing inviting aromas of red berries, plums, orange zest, crisp orchard fruit and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy but incisive, this bottling is based on the Brut Réserve, yet the addition of still red wine—much of which is produced in house—imparts structuring phenolics that complement the wine's generous core of fruit to great effect. Readers should not that this cuvée's clear glass makes it vulnerable to light strike, so it's especially important to buy properly stored bottles." - William Kelley (Sep 2020)

90 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The NV Champagne Prestige Brut Rosé is a bold style, with a deep pink hue and a distinctive, fruit-forward red wine profile. Its notes of ripe raspberry, beet root, fresh herbs, crushed roses are followed by a structured and energetic mousse, with some tannic grip that would make a great application for shellfish. Drink over the next 10-15 years." (Nov 2022)

90 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine:
"A firm rosé, with a creamy mousse and a toasty edge meshed with flavors of strawberry tart, mandarin orange peel, brioche and smoke. Drink now. 1,800 cases imported." – AN (Nov 2022)

90 Points - International Wine Report:
"The Prestige Rosé from Taittinger is composed of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier. It begins with pretty aromas of crushed raspberries and strawberries laced with mineral and citrus zest that all take shape in the glass. On the palate this is lithe and focused, with a delicate mousse that showcases a wonderful astringency and poise, followed by juicy flavors of red berries and citrus zest which linger on the finish." (Apr 2019)
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About the Winery: 
The Billecart family has been living in Mareuil-sur-Ay since the 16th century. When Nicolas Francois Billecart married Elisabeth Salmon in the early 1800s, the two families' long held vineyards were married as well. This led to Nicolas' decision to leave his law practice and take over the family wine estate. In 1818 he founded the house of Billecart-Salmon which now stands as the oldest continuously family owned and operated house in Champagne. It is currently managed by the seventh generation, Mathieu Roland-Billecart. The cellars are in the hands of "chef de cave" Florent Nys, who has worked under previous chef de cave Francois Domi since 2005.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Billecart-Salmon is their philosophy that an early harvest yields more elegant and delicate champagnes. They look for a strong acid structure rather than alcohol as a preservative and therefore, never harvest at higher than 10 degrees of potential alcohol.

Notes from the Winemaker:

Appearance: Its pale and bright pink color is adorned with warm glints of gold and its delicate slowly rising bubbles give it a persistent mousse.

Aroma: This cuvee unveils a subtle aroma leading to an elegant, delicate bouquet of red fruits and zest of citrus fruits.

Palate: Its special method of vinification gives this cuvee a light, elegant flavor, followed by a fresh finish with a taste of raspberry.

Serving: This rose champagne is an ideal partner as an aperitif and can also accompany a dish of wild salmon or sushi. For dessert, it will add a sublime touch to red fruit flavors.

Ratings & Reviews

93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Seven percent red wine added to the blend to make the NV Champagne Brut Rosé, which is based on the 2020 harvest and is 45% Chardonnay, 25% Meunier, and the rest Pinot Noir, with about 45% reserve wine. A classic pink salmon hue, the nose is classic and pretty with notes of fresh peaches, raspberries, roses, and chalky earth. Medium-bodied and rounded, it’s approachable and fresh in style, with lovely purity and a pretty feel throughout. It’s delicious now but has the ability to age with ease over the coming 10 years. Disgorged in the first quarter of 2023, 4.7 grams per liter dosage (although interestingly, they are now including the total grams per liter, in this case 5.3 grams per liter in the final wine)." - Audrey Frick (Dec 2024)

93 Points - James Suckling:
"A succulent, delicious and precise brut rosé, made of chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir. It has notes of wild currants, peach skin and mild spices. It’s medium-bodied and vivid with fine bubbles and plenty of succulence. Sour cherries and redcurrants on the palate. Fresh acidity and a comforting, fruity character to the delicious finish. Drink now." (Jul 2024)

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A seamlessly knit rosé Champagne, integrating a vivid backbone of acidity and a lightly chalky underpinning with the fine, detailed perlage. Offers notes of nectarine, white cherry, toast point and orchard blossom. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged fall 2023 (My Origin 201281). Drink now." - Alison Napjus (Nov 2024)

92 Points - Vinous Media:
"The NV Rosé, based 2019, is bright, lifted and refreshing. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, white pepper and chalk are very nicely delineated. There's terrific depth and texture to fill out the soft, curvy contours. The 2019 base Rosé is fabulous. In fact, it is one of the best recent releases I can remember tasting. Dosage is 5.1 grams per liter." - Antonio Galloni (Nov 2023)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"Aromas of rose, peony, red berries and guava preface the NV Brut Rosé, a medium to full-bodied, elegant and vinous Champagne rosé that concludes with a long, ethereal finish enhanced by menthol notes. A blend of 45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier, it's based on the 2014 vintage with 46% vins de réserve from nine different vintages and the addition of 6% as a red wine, vinified and matured in stainless steel. Dosage: 4.7 grams per liter." - Yohan Castaing (Oct 2024)

91 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"A floral aroma and rich citrus and raspberry flavors mark this full-bodied rosé Champagne. Its crispness comes from the taut minerality and lemon acidity at the end. Drink now." – Roger Voss (Dec 2024)

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Notes from the Winemaker: 
AOC Crémant d'Alsace is the crowning glory of the lively and delicate sparkling Alsace wines, made using the traditional method. Pinot Blanc is the main grape variety but Riesling and Pinot Gris are used in the base wine. "The attack, marked by a slight acidity, is then balanced on lovely floral notes. We enjoyed its powerful finish." Made from Pinot Noir, Crémant Rosé is more aromatic and has great finesse.

Ratings & Reviews

91 Points - James Suckling:
"This shows notes of pink nectarines, cherry blossoms, dried citrus peel and subtle hints of pastry crust. Sleek and round-textured with fine bubbles and a chalky, mineral aftertaste. Pinot noir. Drink now." (Jan 2024)

89 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The salmon-colored NV Crémant d'Alsace Rosé Brut is a pure limestone Pinot Noir that opens with a very attractive brioche and fruit aroma on the pure yet intense and elegant nose that is reminiscent of red fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and pomegranate. Round and supple on the palate, this is a mouth-filling and charming sparkling wine with 4.1 grams per liter of residual sugar and a clear, well-structured finish. The wine ages sur lattes between 12 and 18 months and drinks well as aperitif but also with certain desserts. 12.4% alcohol." - Stephan Reinhardt (Mar 2023)

Wine Enthusiast:
"This sparkler has a typical rosé character with notes of crushed strawberry and watermelon knit onto the creamy mousse. Invigorating finish." - AZ (Nov 2023)

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