Marion-Bosser is one of the first names out of my mouth when people ask me to list top rosé producers because it’s crafted with grapes sourced from some of Champagne’s very best Premier Crus (Vertus, Hautvillers, Cumières), blended with still Pinot Noir from Grand Cru Bouzy, then aged four years on lees and an extra 18 months after disgorgement. Their rosé is luxury and grace epitomized, somewhat of a signature for this intimate Champagne house.
Clearly, Marion-Bosser has the terroir, traditional style, and forbearance required to craft top-tier Champagne, and their entire lineup is always released at a ridiculously affordable price. I’ve been truly humbled by this tiny house and found myself trying to compare this highly addicting bottle to rosés that come in at $75, even $100. However, even though it easily outperforms a number of high-profile (and high-priced) producers, I think it would be a disservice to the wine by “comparing” it, so I’ll leave it at this: It’s sustainably sourced, judiciously crafted, and offers a vividly mouthwatering experience at a whopping value. Only a fraction of this minuscule production made it to the states, which is why I urge you to take your share of six bottles and share with your friends; this is an incredible rosé begging to show the world what it’s made of!
For those unfamiliar: When I visited Champagne this past April, Marion-Bosser was my first stop. I was exhausted, coming directly from a relentless week in Burgundy, but having heard so much praise about them, we grit our teeth and made the drive. As luck would have it, within minutes of arriving at their quaint house in Hautvillers, my daughter, Charlotte (10 months old at the time), pointed out a brilliant double rainbow that started in the vineyard directly in front of us. Everyone poured out of the winery and into one of the most beautiful spectacles I have personally witnessed. The Marions even said it was the second double rainbow they’d seen in 50+ years, which set the tone for an incredible evening of traditional French cuisine that started with today’s rosé and ended with their Millésime 2008—a quick sell-out offer back in July. Needless to say, the wines are stunningly good.
Somewhat of a rarity in Champagne (and still the entire wine world), Marion-Bosser is a highly respected female-operated house. Nearly 10 years ago, cellarmaster Elodie Marion took over the family domaine after eight years of working the vines and cellars with famous Burgundian names: Patrick Piuze of Chablis and Henri Boillot of Meursault. Marion-Bosser’s female ownership dates back much further though: The domaine has been in the family’s possession for over 100 years, having transitioned from mother to daughter with each passing generation. It wasn’t until 1994, however, the family took a huge step and decided to make wine themselves. Elodie’s mother, Bernadette, began studying and subsequently crafting wines in their hometown of Hautvillers (they are just a few doors down from Dom Pérignon’s resting place, which we also checked out on our visit). Today, Elodie and Bernadette tag-team the operations, and their grandmother still helps in the vineyards come harvest time!
This Chardonnay and Pinot Noir rosé blend is sourced from some of Champagne’s greatest terroirs: The Pinot Noir is sustainably farmed from small parcels within the Premier Cru villages of Hautvillers and Cumières, and the Chardonnay comes from the Premier Cru village of Vertus—where you’ll find lauded producers like Larmandier-Bernier, Veuve Fourny, and Pascal Doquet. And, with 14% still Pinot Noir (for color and added flavor) sourced from the Grand Cru of Bouzy, you’re getting a ton of pedigreed terroir packed into one bottle!
The Marions also advocate sustainability—for their own vineyards, they plow, manually de-bud and thin the vines, and apply natural fertilizers. Their vines average 35 years of age and, as is the law in Champagne, all grapes are harvested by hand. This batch is based on the 2012 vintage, with a whopping amount (62%) of reserve wine from several vintages prior. You want complexity? This has it. The grapes were gently pressed at a local cooperative and alcoholic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. It was bottled without seeing malolactic fermentation and then laid to rest, undisturbed, until disgorgement in January of 2017—nearly four years of aging! This brut (9 g/l) rosé was then allowed to rest further after being sealed under cork.
Marion-Bosser’s Premier Cru Brut Rosé shines a bright salmon color moving out to soft orange-pink hues on the rim. It’s an energetic wine with a vigorous mousse and live-wire beads (the stream of carbonated bubbles) that race up to the surface, even long after the cork has been removed. The delicate nose slowly reveals cherry blossoms, redcurrant, tangerine rind, crushed chalk, wet stones, pomegranate seeds, freshly cut strawberries, white pear, muddled raspberry, white mushrooms, and underbrush. The palate is pillowy and medium-bodied, showing an air of grace and roundness at once, with a kiss of sweet red fruit alongside crushed chalk. Overall, it’s resoundingly fresh and elegant—but let’s not forget that this rosé is still a baby, so be sure to enjoy your handful of bottles over the next 5-7 years. When consuming, serve just below cellar temperature in all-purpose white stems. I had this lovely rosé (yet again) at brunch several weekends ago and paired it with coconut-fried prawns, but what really stole the show was a fresh heirloom tomato and watermelon salad with various herbs. Try
this take from
Epicurious and feel free to experiment with additions of mint, basil, and/or cilantro—the options are limitless. Cheers!
