Bruno Paillard Rose Premiere Cuvée

(85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay and 6 g/l dosage; disgorged in April, 2013): Bright orange. Spicy red berry and orange zest aromas are complicated by notes of vanilla and rose, with a hint of buttered toast gaining power in the glass. Fleshy raspberry and clementine flavors are braced by a zesty mineral quality, which adds back-end cut and lift. Finishes with gentle sweetness and very good mineral-driven persistence, leaving a sappy red berry note behind.

A blend of grapes from 12 vineyards, this tight, really dry wine has red-currant crispness and a strongly mineral texture. Being so dry, it needs to age-this was bottled in October 2015 and should not be drunk before 2018.

The pale rose colored NV Rosé Premiere Cuvee is a delicate aperitif predominantly, based on Pinot Noir and supplemented by Chardonnay. The latest disgorgement is from May 2015 and includes the 2011 with reserve wines from roughly 30 vintages. Still a bit restrained on the nose, where bright red fruits and lemon flavors are displayed, this is a very fine and fresh, lovely, pure and austerely dry Rosé. it has a stimulatingly clean and grippy finish.