Gaston Chiquet Champagne Brut Rose

Gaston Chiquet Champagne Brut Rosé is a luminous pink-orange sparkler from the Vallée de la Marne, built on a foundation most Champagne houses overlook: Pinot Meunier as the lead grape. Where the grandes marques lean on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Chiquet flips the script, giving Meunier two-thirds of the blend and letting its supple red-fruit character define the wine. The result is a rosé Champagne that feels generous without losing the taut mineral spine you expect from the region. The Chiquet family has farmed in Dizy, just west of Épernay, since 1746, and today the estate works forty-nine hectares across nine villages in the Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. The blend is roughly 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir, with the rosé color achieved through a brief maceration of red grapes rather than the saignée method. Fermentation happens in stainless steel to preserve aromatics, and the wine rests on lees for a minimum of three years before disgorgement, giving it the fine mousse and toasty complexity that distinguish grower Champagne from factory fizz. Chiquet's approach highlights what Meunier does best—fruit that's ripe and round without jammy weight—while Chardonnay sharpens the mid-palate and Pinot Noir extends the finish. The nose opens with ripe red fruit, black cherry, and strawberry, echoing the Meunier's exuberant character, while the palate stays smooth and fresh, layering blackberry and cherry with a hint of lemon peel in the finish from the Chardonnay component. The structure is elegant but not austere, making this a rosé Champagne you can pour at the start of a dinner party or carry through a meal of roasted salmon, duck breast, or charcuterie. The coppery hue and persistent mousse make it equally suited to aperitif hour or a celebration that needs both substance and festivity in the glass. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.