André Clouet Rosé No. 3

What to expect - Pinot noir specialist. If you love Blanc de Noirs, look at Clouet's wines - Sensational producer, well-known for his Pinot noir - Pair with a lobster roll or a marinara Boasting a full ruby hue, No 3 is exuberant in appearance and flavour. As flamboyant as its maker himself, it brims with wild strawberries, raspberries and morello cherries, encapsulating that wonderful talent of great pinot to build and rise triumphantly on the finish. For all of its generosity, it never deviates from the control and precision of the house, focused by bright acidity and the omnipresent chalk minerality that underscores this legendary village. A great expression of the freshness, mineral airiness and presence of Bouzy pinot noir. Tyson Stelzer Technical details 100% Bouzy and Ambonnay pinot; 50% reserves from a solera of 10 vintages; blended with 10–15% red wine from the four best lieux-dits of the estate in Bouzy, ideally yielding 7000–8000kg/ha; macerated on skins for 2 weeks, with tannin removed.   About the house A winemaking family of more than 2 centuries, the founder was a printer in Louis XV's court of Versailles and the wines are cellared under the family’s 17th century village house. The style of the labels reflects their heritage. Bouzy and Ambonnay are the epicentre of pinot noir in Champagne, and the Clouet family is the privileged custodian of eight hectares of estate vines in the best middle slopes of both villages. These are rich and concentrated expressions of pinot noir, wines of deep complexity, multifaceted interest and engaging character, yet with remarkable restraint and sense of control. Tasting after tasting confirm my impression that this small and relatively unknown grower ranks high among Champagne’s finest practitioners of pinot noir – and represents one of the best value of all.