Besserat de Bellefon Cuvee des Moines Rose
This pale pink champagne with salmon highlights offers a generous nose that is intense yet refined with strong hints of red berries, especially wild strawberries. It brings to mind jelly, redcurrants and almonds.
With aeration, hints of lime and hawthorn are revealed. It develops on the palate with tart flavours of blackberry and blackcurrant. The finish is a delicately spicy, delicious treat. The bubbles provide a soft creamy mouthfeel.
Grape Variety:
30% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier
11-14% of the blend is red wine. Red wine production is dependent on grape quality. The red wine undergoes 4 - 8 days maceration and is pumped 1 – 2 times per day.
Dosage - 9g/l
Ageing:
2½ years on lees
Food Pairing:
Aperitif, white meats, duck. Also works well with red fruit based desserts
Review:
“Launched on to the UK market in 2010 to mark its 80th anniversary, the Cuvee des Moines range was created to go with food and that’s exactly what this rose does best. Showing Developed colour and aroma, it is savoury and intense with an attractive note of white pepper.” 5 stars
Suzie Barrie MW, Decanter June 2010
Background Information:
Besserat de Bellefon was founded in 1843 in Ay by Edouard Besserat. A native of Hautvillers, he applied his craftsmanship and skill to creating wines which he distributed to leading hotels, restaurants and purveyors of fine wines.
Following Edouard the family continued his legacy. His grandsons Victor and Edmond inherited his passion for perfection and his sense of excellence and high standards. One was an unrivalled winemaker, the other an outstanding wine taster and they worked tirelessly and in complete harmony to increase the renown and image of their House.
1930 marked a historic turning point for Besserat de Bellefon with the creation of a lightly sparkling champagne that could be drunk throughout a meal. This was the birth of the range known today as Cuvée des Moines (Cuvee of the Monks).
Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines presents the perfect champagne for any food focused outlet. Its softer style and lower pressure produce a style that is more akin to a fine white Burgundy with bubbles than regular champagnes.
In 1930 the owner of Parisian restaurant “La Samaritaine de Luxe” challenged Victor Besserat to make a champagne that could be served with its food, right throughout a meal.
“Make me a champagne light enough to accompany any meal and i’ll be ordering 1000 bottles instead of 100 ...”
The Director of the restaurant la Samaritaine de Luxe writing to Victor Besserat in 1930
Victor created the Besserat de Bellefon Cuvees des Moines and won the business.
Made in the crémant style to a lower pressure with lower dosage to produce a wine with tiny bubbles, a very fine mousse and a creamier texture than other fizzes. Cremant Champagne creates a fresher taste and softer mouth feel with a delicate foam in the mouth which ends with a lingering aftertaste.
Fast-forward to today and the Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines range is part of Lanson International UK’s portfolio and consists of five food-friendly fizzes.
