Rosé de Macération is a deeply colored, vinous rosé Champagne made entirely from Pinot Noir grown in the Premier Cru village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Rather than producing the rosé by blending white Champagne with still red wine, Fabrice Pouillon allows the freshly pressed juice to remain in contact with the grape skins, giving the wine its distinctive color, structure, and expressive red-fruit character.
The grapes come from clay-limestone soils and are cultivated according to biodynamic principles. The fruit is harvested by hand, and the juice macerates on its skins for up to 12 hours before pressing. This short maceration extracts color, aroma, and gentle tannin while preserving the freshness and precision essential to Champagne.
Fermentation takes place in a combination of traditional enameled tanks and neutral oak barrels. Approximately 80% of the wine continues its élevage for eight months, while the remaining 20% is transferred to neutral barrels and aged for 18 months.
After eight months, the current year’s wine is blended with the longer-aged portion retained from the previous harvest. This thoughtful assemblage balances the natural tannic structure of a macerated rosé with the softness, complexity, and mellow texture developed through extended aging in neutral oak.
The 2021-base Rosé de Macération is powerful, dry, and gastronomic, with the depth and structure to accompany an entire meal. Its pale ruby-red color is followed by an intensely flinty bouquet, complemented by aromas of raspberry, wild strawberry, red cherry, citrus peel, dried flowers, spice, and subtle brioche.
On the palate, it is structured and energetic, combining ripe red-fruit flavors with bright mineral acidity and an emphatic, persistent mousse. The wine has impressive concentration without heaviness, and its distinctly dry profile carries through to a clean, precise, and refreshing finish.
This is an expressive and highly individual rosé Champagne for drinkers who appreciate the texture and savory complexity of Pinot Noir. It is excellent with duck, roast poultry, pork, grilled salmon, tuna, mushroom dishes, charcuterie, washed-rind cheeses, and aged Comté.
James Suckling: 92 Points
This unusually colored rosé Champagne resembles a pale Pinot Noir in the glass. The bouquet is intensely flinty, with generous raspberry fruit. Structured, dry, and powerful, the palate offers bright mineral acidity and a pronounced mousse, finishing exceptionally clean and precise.
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Producer: R. Pouillon & Fils
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Cuvée: Rosé de Macération
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Base Vintage: 2021
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Country: France
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Region: Champagne
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Appellation: Vallée de la Marne
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Village: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ Premier Cru
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Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
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Soil: Clay-limestone
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Farming: Biodynamic
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Rosé Method: Skin maceration for up to 12 hours
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Vinification: Enameled tanks and neutral oak barrels
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Élevage: Eight months for 80% of the wine and 18 months in neutral oak for 20% of the blend
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Malolactic Fermentation: Yes
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Classification: Premier Cru
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Style: Rosé Brut Champagne
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Wine Type: Champagne
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Bottle Size: 750ml
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