2012 Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rose

96 POINTS: Deep pink shimmers in the glass. Similarly deep, the nose brims with fragrant notions of strawberry and a lovely touch of forest floor, immediately marking this out for the table. While the nose is rich, the palate comes with the customary tautness and freshness of Laurent-Perrier, edged with mouth-watering and aromatic blood orange notions, bright acidity and a deepening richness, almost evocative of plum and incipient edges of gaminess. The mousse is fine and will be very creamy with a little more bottle age. Made by adding 20% of Chardonnay to the Pinot Noir grapes that lend the pink colour as they macerate between 24-48 hours in the press. This is made only in rare years when the harvests of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay coincide. 2012 is the 10th release of this unusual cuvée first made in 1982 (and released in 1987). The result is a most gastronomic, yet elegant Champagne made for ageing.