The house goes a little far in describing this as ‘the most extravagant and audacious rosé in the world’, but when it was first released in the early 2000s, it may well have been. Camus resolved to create a distinctive rosé to contrast the Charles Heidsieck style, a wine of intense colour and dark fruit presence. That it is. In its full, unabashed crimson-red hue, it certainly floats far down the deep end of the champagne rosé pool. In colour, palate grip, concentration and food- matching versatility, it’s best considered part-way between champagne rosé and red Burgundy, and should be served in big red wine glasses, as they do at the house. Distinctive, inimitable, potent and rustic, this is a champagne rosé with a personality all of its own. There’s creaming soda here, sarsaparilla and liquorice, too, blood orange, strawberries, red cherris, tangelos and tamarillos, and this year an alluringly savoury twist of Campari, pink pepper and pipe smoke. True to its fluoro-pink label, it’s ready for loud parties. For all its flamboyance, it’s got length, tight acid line, the harmonious texture of lees age, well-integrated dosage and dry, finely textured tannin grip – just to prove it has a serious side, too.
Source: Tyson Stelzer.