Ruinart Brut Rosé Champagne

Effervescent in the figurative as much as the literal sense, this flamingo-pink beauty flaunts an irrepressible bead and an intense nose of red apple, watermelon, and wild strawberry enhanced by hints of shortbread and spiced, almost curried, almond. Pure silk on entry thanks in part to brilliantly integrated acidity, it carries on its fairly full frame cream-splashed red berries with midpalate flashes of pomelo and peach; a faint trace of cucumber melds with candied ginger on the long finish. Roughly a quarter of the blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay is composed of reserve wine, while nearly 20% of the Pinot Noir was vinified as red wine. Score – 96. (tastingpanel.com, Sept./Oct. 2023)