Sparkling Rosé

Chardonnay and Merlot is an unusual pairing for a sparkling rosé, and it explains the shape of this one. The Chardonnay brings acid and a fine bead, the Merlot brings red fruit and color. It pours pale pink with brilliant salmon reflections and holds a delicate, persistent bubble for longer than most alcohol-free fizz manages. Pierre Chavin strips the alcohol using a spinning cone, a low-temperature method that lifts the aromatics off first and returns them at the end, which is why redcurrant and raspberry still come through alongside a musky floral note. Serve it at 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. It's sold in 75cl and also in 20cl, and that small format earns its place, letting one person have a proper celebratory glass without committing to a whole bottle. The house sits in Béziers in the south of France and keeps three years of cellaring on the range.