Forget what you know about Rosé. This is something quite different. Saignée literally means "to bleed". In winemaking parlance, it means to use the 'free run' juice of a grape, which is drawn off the grape skins prior to, or shortly after, the start of fermentation. In this case, the grapes (100% Pinot Noir) are allowed to macerate for several days before the juice is drawn off and it is this 'soak' that gives the colour and much of the body and flavour to the wine. This technique is now extremely rare in Champagne where most Rosé is made by the addition of a little red wine. No dosage is added.
"This is one of the most remarkable champagnes I have ever tasted. Quite a deep pink, it is almost impossibly perfumed - like a really good red burgundy, with forest fruit and spice aromas - and is intense, elegant, entrancing, crisp, juicy and endless in the mouth. Wow!"
Max Allen, The Weekend Australian Magazine.
"Larmandier-Bernier's NV Extra Brut Rose de Saignee is one of the most profound wines I encountered in my tastings. The color resembles the tonality of blood orange juice. This is a powerful wine that flows onto the palate with an expression of bright red fruit that recalls the wines of Chambolle in its luxuriousness, but is backed up with serious structure. This compelling, totally seductive wine possesses awesome richness and vibrancy, with layers of aromas and flavors that continue to develop in the glass all the way through to the long, intensely satisfying finish. The wine could be served alongside any dish that might be served with grand cru Burgundy, but like all of the world's great wines, this is a bottle that creates its own occasion. Larmandier-Bernier completely redefines what Rose can be all about with this monumental effort. The estate's rose is 100% Pinot Noir from Vertus vinified on the skins (saignee) and bottled with 3 grams of dosage." 96 Points, Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate, December 2008.