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André Clouet, Grand Cru Brut Rosé “No.3”

Champagne, France MV (750mL)
$50.00
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André Clouet, Grand Cru Brut Rosé “No.3”

For six years running, Andre Clouet’s Grand Cru Rosé has been SommSelect’s value-for-dollar benchmark, because every disgorgement is a rich, deliciously vivid, etched-from-chalk Champagne that has the rare ability to command a room. Nobody—be it a co-op, grower, or Grand Marque—can match the price-to-quality of Clouet’s perennial-favorite rosé. We never tire of seeing and drinking it! But times are much different now that the world is becoming ever-so-aware of these Grand Cru stunners. 
Availability for today’s rosé has turned into a tug-of-war over the past couple of years, so now we use all of our might and main to secure fractions of what was previously available. Today’s offer marks the newest release of this luxurious, brightly layered rosé from one of the greatest Pinot Noir terroirs in Champagne: Bouzy. It is from these majestic, Grand Cru grounds that Clouet handcrafts a mineral-studded, red-fruited powerhouse that consistently delivers perfect marks. We try to offer this stunning rosé to our subscribership every year, and when we’re able, the majority of subscribers take their full share. What I’m getting at is that our stash always goes quick. Enjoy!
The Clouet family first found the spotlight after becoming the official printers for the Royal Court at Versailles in the mid-18th century (hence the beauty of their wine labels). Their estate in Bouzy, which current owner Jean-François Clouet still calls home, dates back even further! Beneath this historic site lies their labyrinthine chalk cellar, which still contains partial false walls that hid precious bottles during Nazi invasion in World War II. With all this historic grandeur surrounding him, Jean-François respectfully draws from tradition and time-honored techniques while embracing modern technology. And, with only 20 acres of estate vines, he can make this philosophy a reality. 
 
Derived from mid-slope vines within the prestigious Grand Cru village of Bouzy, this rosé is crafted from 100% Pinot Noir with a healthy portion of reserves. This wine fermented—both alcoholic and malolactic—in stainless steel vessels and then aged for several years in bottle. After disgorgement, it was topped off with a low dosage of six grams of sugar (technically qualifying it for the Extra-Brut category) and still Bouzy Pinot Noir (8%) in order to achieve its trademark salmon color. Fun fact: “No.3” was originally created to assist customers in judging the color, with the numbers ranging from 1 (the lightest) to 10.  

With incredible terroir, extended lees aging, and meticulous winemaking, Clouet’s rosé offers an incredibly balanced combination of ripe fruit, texture, depth, and minerality that is nearly unrivaled. Its vibrant salmon pink gives off astonishingly ripe, ultra-clean aromas that burst out as energetic beads of carbonation swirl upward with vigor. Service temperature is always key, especially in high-quality Champagne, so make sure you’re sniffing and drinking around 50-55 degrees. When at the optimal temperature, it erupts with seductive notes of red apple skin, Bing cherries, orange rind, grapefruit zest, wild strawberry, raspberry, white peach, damp roses, finely crushed chalk, and a soft touch of wild herbs. 

For the newcomers: This is not an angular rosé Champagne! It boasts a ripe, stunningly supple texture that delivers the utmost pleasure. The lush, medium-bodied palate coats your palate with zesty fruits that have been topped off with a dollop of fresh cream and sprinkles of crushed rock minerality. Delightful in its youth, this wine’s fruit will take on savory components over the next 3-5 years, so stow a few bottles away, or at the very least space them out over the next year until the next disgorgement (hopefully) arrives! When consuming, please serve in a wide tulip or all-purpose stem and prepare the following smoked salmon blinis on a sunny Sunday. Cheers.
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Country
France
Region
Champagne
Sub-Region
FranceBouzy Grand Cru
Soil
Chalk
Farming
Sustainable Practices
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
12.0
TEMP.
50-55
Glassware
Wide-Mouthed Tulip or All-Purpose Stem
Drinking
Now-2025
Pairing
Smoked Salmon Blinis

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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