Pommery & Greno Champagne Brut Rosé NV ‘release from the 1990s’

Pommery & Greno – Champagne Brut Rosé NV from the 1990s: A testament to the Belle Époque of Champagne

The Pommery & Greno Champagne Brut Rosé NV from the 1990s is far more than just a champagne – it is a liquid monument to one of the most eventful eras in the history of Champagne and a testament to the legacy of one of the greatest female figures in viticulture: Louise Pommery. It was created at a time when the House of Pommery & Greno was among the world’s most prominent champagne brands and when the foundations for modern champagne production were being laid.

The House: From a wool merchant to a global brand

The history of the house dates back to 1836, when Narcisse Greno took over an existing trading house in Reims – which later became Maison Pommery & Greno. Twenty years later, in 1856, Alexandre Louis Pommery joined the company as a partner. Initially, the firm traded in wool – champagne was merely a sideline. However, following the early death of Alexandre Louis Pommery in 1858, his widow, Jeanne-Alexandrine Louise Pommery, took over the management of the house and systematically refocused it on the production and trade of champagne.

Louise Pommery proved to be a visionary entrepreneur. She had the tunnels carved into the chalk cliffs beneath Reims by Roman soldiers expandedinto an 18-kilometre-long labyrinth of cellars, in which the champagne could mature at a constant temperature. In 1874, she made viticultural history: with Pommery Nature, she launched the first commercially successful brut champagne – at a time when champagne was still heavily sweetened. This move revolutionised champagne and opened up the British market for the house, which favoured a drier style.

The Brut Rosé: A rosé of regal elegance

The Brut Rosé is one of the house’s most traditional cuvées and combines the three classic Champagne grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The grapes come from selected vineyards in Champagne, and the blend is refined by the addition of a small quantity of red wine – known as ‘vin de rosé’ – which gives the champagne its delicate, salmon-coloured hue. This method of producing rosé by adding red wine is considered the classic approach and gives the wine its remarkable depth and structure.

The Brut Rosé NV from the 1990s was produced during an era marked by significant upheavals: in 1991, the luxury goods group LVMH took over the House of Pommery and ran it until 2002. During this period, production was significantly expanded – a development that had a lasting impact on the quality of the wines. Nevertheless , the then cellar master Thierry Gasco, who had shaped the house since 1994, succeeded in preservingPommery’sartisanal tradition and style.

Tasting notes: A mature rosé of rare elegance

The tasting notes for the Pommery Brut Rosé – which refer to the general style of this cuvée – paint a picture of a Champagne with elegant fullness and remarkable freshness. The colour is described as a delicate salmon pink with coppery highlights – a colour palette typical of Pommery Rosé. The nose reveals aromas of wild strawberries, redcurrants and elderflower, underpinned by a subtle hint of brioche and a touch of citrus. On the palate , the champagne is full-bodied yet elegant, with a silky texture, lively acidity and a long, creamy finish – a wine that ‘floats on the palate’, as wine critic Michael Apstein aptly described it.

After more than two decades of bottle ageing – provided the bottle has been stored under optimal conditions – the primary aromas are likely to have developed into complex tertiary notes: dried fruit, honey, baked quince and a hint of truffle characterise the bouquet, underpinned by the nutty and creamy notes typical of matured champagne . The fine effervescence remains present even after many years, and the acidity gives the wine remarkable length.

The 1990s: An era of transition

The 1990s were a time of upheaval for Pommery. After the house was taken over by LVMH in 1991, production was increased from around 2 million bottles to over 7 million bottles – a quantum leap that inevitably affected the quality of the base wine. Nevertheless, the Brut Rosé remained one of the house’s most consistent cuvées. The blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier was retained, and the dosage level of around 9 to 12 grams per litre gave the champagne its balanced sweetness-to-acidity ratio.

A window into a bygone era

For collectors and connoisseurs, the Pommery & Greno Champagne Brut Rosé NV from the 1990sis a piece of champagne history. It was produced at a time when Champagne production was still very much a craft, and was crafted by a house with a tradition stretching back over 150 years. Anyone who opens such a bottle holds not only a rare champagne in their hands, but a liquid monument to an era in which the Belle Époque of champagne was entering its final heyday. Pommery’s Cuvée Brut Rosé is – as wine critic Michael Apstein wrote – a ‘show-stopper’ that, with your eyes closed , is reminiscent of a full-bodied red wine – a champagne of rare depth, elegance and longevity.