Description
Champagne Vincent Couche, “Eclipsia” Brut Rosé
Bring out your Billecart-Salmons, your Laurent-Perriers, really, any stylish Rosé Champagne priced under $100, and Couche’s “Eclipsia” will do exactly what the name suggests—eclipse many of them. While that’s just the opinion of one sommelier, it’s also one firmly backed by hundreds of Champagne tastings, so I can say the following with absolute confidence: Rarely has a $65 Brut Rosé moved me this much!
Of course, I’ve learned over these past few years that nobody should be surprised when the label reads “Vincent Couche.” His organic Champagnes are vinous, leave-the-stress-behind paradises that evoke so much energy, texture, and pleasure—and this new rosé release is the most engagingly delicious bottle I’ve tasted yet. Dominated by ultra-plush Pinot Noir, and a dash of Chardonnay from the famous village of Montgueux (eternalized by Jacques Lassaigne), this is exactly what I envision when someone asks for my idea of a perfect Rosé Champagne apéritif. You’ll go wild over it, guaranteed! Complimentary Ground Shipping on five bottles.
Inspired by his mother’s teachings, Vincent Couche has dedicated decades to his organic vineyards and the maintenance of a chemical-free ecosystem. Because he refuses unnatural methods at every step of the process—from eschewing “-cides” to banning chaptalization and cultured yeast during fermentation to only using gravity to move the wine—Vincent Couche is leading the charge in the red-hot organic Grower Champagne movement.
Couche’s fruit comes from two choice villages: Buxeuil (Pinot Noir) in the Côte des Bar and the outlier village of Montgueux (Chardonnay) where you’ll find legendary Jacques Lassaigne bottling some all-time great Blanc de Blancs. Vines from the latter are perched on an expansive chalky rise that looks down at the farmland below. The wonderfully ripe Chardonnay grown here adds immense texture and vibrancy to Couche’s “Eclipsia” rosé despite contributing just 12% to the final blend.
Back at Vincent’s cellar in Buxeuil, hand-picked organic grapes from the 2017 and 2018 vintages were pressed and vinified separately before being married with still red Pinot Noir (a whopping 30% of the final cuvée) to achieve a brilliant, deep salmon color. Once it was bottled without filtration, the wine matured on lees for two years before disgorgement and a six-gram dosage in December 2021. This parcel rested in Couche’s cellar for another year before release. Some keen eyes may notice the back label reads “Artémisia Couche,” which is the company name used when Vincent purchases some fruit (from Certified Organic farmers) instead of solely relying upon his estate vines.
When it comes to Couche’s “Eclipsia” Rosé, there’s no need for long, drawn-out, overly complex tasting notes. This is among the purest and outrageously delicious pink champagnes on the market! It spilled into my Burgundy stem with a deep salmon color and slight pinkish-orange reflections, and immediately returned high-toned green strawberry, blood orange, muddled raspberry, redcurrant, juicy red cherry, and citrus peel. As it opened up, deeper layers of earthy savor and stony minerality were coaxed out, all framed by scintillating acidity that activated any tastebuds that had yet to be targeted. This is such a joyous rosé! Enjoy now and over the next 2-3 years.
