Your cart is empty.
- In stock, ready to ship
- Inventory on the way
Eugène Carrel, Méthode Traditionnelle, Brut Rosé
Where the snow-capped French Alps cascade into a verdant terrain of rolling hills lays the alpine paradise of Savoie, the source of this sparkling brut rosé. With the freshness of a mountain spring and distinct chalky minerality akin to true Champagne, this wine is a captivating snapshot of the gateway to the Alps.
Crafting a sparkling wine in méthode traditionnelle (the process used in Champagne) is an expensive endeavor and rosé typically demands an even higher price tag, but not today. The family-run Domaine Eugène Carrel transforms their pristine, alpine fruit into a beauty of richness, texture and concentrated layers of flavor; it’s a serious value for the labor behind it. While the most basic rosé Champagnes start around $50, this sparkler charms for less than half the price and is a perfect fit for those of you who love fine sparkling wine but don’t want to break the bank.
This Brut Rosé exhibits a concentrated pink core with heavy persistent bubbles throughout the glass. Aromatics of just ripened red cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, citrus blossoms, rose petal candy and crushed stones reveal a captivating nose that will prompt you to enjoy glass after glass. The palate delivers a rich, layered experience with a beautiful roundness to the core of fruit on the mid-palate, which evolves into a persistent finish of distinct chalk-driven minerality and bright freshness. Serve this wine in all-purpose stems around 45 degrees. Simply pull from the fridge 3-4 minutes before serving for the ideal temperature. Thanks to its richness and immense texture, this wine will dazzle alongside your upcoming Thanksgiving feast, but it will also pair beautifully with this Cranberry Chicken if you opt for a trial run before the big day. We promise you will not be disappointed.
Crafting a sparkling wine in méthode traditionnelle (the process used in Champagne) is an expensive endeavor and rosé typically demands an even higher price tag, but not today. The family-run Domaine Eugène Carrel transforms their pristine, alpine fruit into a beauty of richness, texture and concentrated layers of flavor; it’s a serious value for the labor behind it. While the most basic rosé Champagnes start around $50, this sparkler charms for less than half the price and is a perfect fit for those of you who love fine sparkling wine but don’t want to break the bank.
Domaine Eugène Carrel & Fils is a family-run estate in the Savoie village of Jongieux that dates to the 14th century. Following his release from captivity in World War II, Celestin Carrel returned to the family estate, but focused more on agriculture than viticulture. When his son, Eugène, took over in the 1970’s, the family’s seven acres were once again focused solely on viticulture. Since that time, the family has increased their holdings and Eugène’s son, Olivier, has joined the ranks as winemaker. Located two hours east of Lyon and less than an hour southwest of Geneva, their vineyards are sandwiched in the foothills of the Charvaz Mountains between the Rhone River and France’s largest lake, Bourget, which lends a unique, warmer microclimate that receives roughly 2-3 hours more sun than any other area of the Savoie. At over 1,400 feet in elevation, the incredibly steep vineyards are rooted in chalk and marl soils beneath a layer of pebbles. The Carrel family works the intimidatingly steep slopes entirely by hand and maintains incredibly low yields.
Their méthode traditionnelle Brut Rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Mondeuse. While you are undoubtedly familiar with the first two grapes by now, Mondeuse may be something new for you. The local varietal, believed to be indigenous to Savoie, is known for its deep color as well as high acidity levels, which is the ideal contribution to the balance and freshness we all yearn for in a great bottle of sparkling. The Gamay and Pinot Noir are hand-harvested together then gently pressed to avoid over-extraction. Mondeuse hangs on the vine the longest then is hand-harvested, briefly pressed and added to the fermenting Pinot Noir and Gamay. The wine is then aged on its lees in stainless steel and is not put through malolactic fermentation. After a light filtration, the wine is dosed with traditional liqueur de tirage then goes through secondary fermentation in the bottle – a process identical to that of Champagne. The wines are then aged in bottle for a minimum of 18 months before disgorgement and dosage. The result is a rosé that competes with examples of Champagne more than twice its modest price.
