R Geoffroy, Champagne Rose de Saignee Brut, NV

A rose Champagne made the hard way, the saignee method, by one of the Marne Valley's most respected growers. Geoffroy farms around Cumieres, a sun-soaked village on the south-facing slopes of the valley, and this rose is made entirely from Pinot Noir bled off its own skins rather than blended with red wine. That technique gives it a brilliant color and a generous core of red fruit, with the structure and seriousness that the family's wines are known for. This is rose Champagne with real substance and an almost red-wine character. Bold, savory, and built for the table.