2018 Louis Roederer Brut Nature Rose Gift Box

The 2018 Brut Nature Rosé offers a beguiling combination of strong Pinot Noir inflections and cool, mineral-driven Cumières character. Cranberry, white flowers, chalk, game and dried herbs are all finely sculpted. Here, too, the Rosé is not quite as austere as the first releases in the series because of longer aging prior to bottling and lees-stirring during élevage. Even so, I very much admire the wine’s tension and drive. The Rosé is a blend of 20% Pinot Noir that is picked 5 days ahead of the main harvest and cold-soaked, plus 80% of the Blanc field blend, done in the same infusion style Roederer uses for Cristal Rosé. That approach exalts the flavor profile and structure of Pinot Noir, qualities that explode on the substantial finish.