De Sousa Rosé

- Biodynamic producer carving out textural and powerful wines

- Made using 92% grand & premier cru chardonnay with 8% pinot noir red wine from Aÿ

- Pair with some ocean trout. Salmon blinis are always a firm favourite with this style of Rosé.

How about this soft, red-fruited rosé, flowing on the palate with a creamy-mineral texture, cherry kernel deliciousness and framed by a little tannic grip on the finish. The pinot noir red wine addition accounts for just 8% and contributes notes of wild strawberry, anise and some spice. The majority of this wine is as you might have guessed, chardonnay sourced from Avize, Grauves and Cuis.

All of De Sousa wines are certified Organic and Biodynamic with careful consideration to their soil and manual handling of grapes at harvest.

The base vintage is from the 2014 harvest. Dosage sits at a reasonable 7 g/L. This remains unfined and unfiltered so a small deposit may occur.

The De Sousa family are based in the Grand Cru village of Avize in the Côte Des Blancs. Father and Vigneron Erick De Sousa has a Portuguese background and practices Biodynamic viticulture. The family runs just over 9 hectares, most of which in Avize but also in the Montagne de Reims and Ambonnay, also a small vineyard in the Marne Valley - Mardeuil. The main characteristics of De Sousa Champagne are; *'Vieilles Vignes' or old-vine viticulture.

The vineyards organically farmed and are ploughed traditionally by horse. Some of the oldest vines go back to the early 1930's. Full malolactic fermentation is used, with extended lees ageing and ageing of reserve wines in barrel.

Ericks' winemaking philosophy supports later ripening which allows the vines to benefit from the mineral-rich soils. This interaction enables the champagne to develop a palate profile that has abundance and purity and in our view, a remarkable length and finish compared to many other champagnes.

The base vintage is from the 2014 harvest. Dosage sits at a reasonable 7 g/L. This remains unfined and unfiltered so a small deposit may occur.

Pair with some ocean trout. Salmon blinis are always a firm favourite with this style of Rosé.