As well as a growing quantity, though, it’s the rise in quality and stylistic diversity that is noteworthy. Multiple factors contribute to this evolution, including improvements in viticulture and investments in winemaking equipment and facilities, particularly pertaining to red-wine production for the making of rosé Champagne; first and foremost, rosé Champagne requires clean and fully mature black grapes, whether it is made by the method of blending, maceration or a combination of both. (Furthermore, climate change has generally helped to enhance grape maturity.)

When making rosé Champagne, there are also numerous variables and choices, such as grape origin, proportion of red wine in the blend, length of maceration and the degree of phenolic ripeness. As a result, a wide variety of rosé Champagne is available for us to enjoy today – ranging from pale, elegant, lighter styles driven by Chardonnay, to deeply coloured, vinous, more structured versions, with phenolic depth coming predominantly from Pinot Noir.

It was in this context that renowned Swedish wine collector Marina Olsson chose to host a tasting on a sunny autumn day in Malmö, with the focus on prestigious cuvées of rosé Champagne from the major houses, showcasing the wide spectrum of styles that the finest pink Champagnes of today have to offer – and also helping to track the category’s modern evolution. ‘I came to truly understand the immense work and effort that the producers put into this rare prestige rosé segment, and I wanted to highlight its exquisite quality and evolution,’ says Olsson. Indeed, authenticity and serious winemaking are what shone through during the event; this is a style that drinkers and collectors should no longer underestimate.

Olsson’s passion was shared by a distinguished group of wine journalists and collectors from around the world, in addition to three esteemed grande marque guests: Benoît Gouez, Gilles de la Bassetière, CEO at Champagne de Venoge, and Adam Guy, managing director of Laurent-Perrier UK. Nine flights, comprising a total of 45 rosé Champagne bottlings, were carefully prepared for the tasting. Except for one flight (the so-called Red Carpet, which featured a mix of four different producers’ prestige cuvées), each flight consisted of different vintages from a single brand. The line-up included Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé; Deutz Amour de Deutz Rosé; de Venoge Louis XV Rosé and Grand Vin des Princes Rosé; Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Alexandra; Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé; Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon; Boizel Joyau de France Rosé; and Rare Rosé.

Every flight showcased the differing identities and styles of each grande marque, with variations also coming from vintage characteristics – from elegant Amour de Deutz Rosé, to balanced examples from de Venoge and Billecart-Salmon, to rich and structured Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé. Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Alexandra, which has a gastronomic style with depth and vinosity thanks to its use of the maceration method, took the top spot among these high-ranking selections. This flight was particularly unique, featuring rare bottles sourced directly from the house and served in magnum format. Each bottling was aged for an extended period on the lees and disgorged at the same time – 18 months ago.

The mature examples, such as Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Alexandra 1998 and 1997, as well as Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé 1990, also helped to prove the ageing potential of top-class rosé Champagne, showing beautiful development in flavour without losing freshness and vivacity. The overall experience has enhanced my appreciation and enthusiasm for rosé Champagne and convinced me of its genuine quality and graceful ageing ability – it’s definitely an area of continued excitement in the Champagne category. Read on for my top 25 cuvées from this special tasting.