The 2018 Champagne A. Margaine Rosé de Saignée is a rare and distinctive grower Champagne from Villers-Marmery, a Premier Cru village in the Montagne de Reims celebrated for its Chardonnay-focused terroir. Produced by Arnaud Margaine, this vintage rosé is crafted through the traditional saignée method, with 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay undergoing around 20 hours of co-maceration before fermentation. Aged extensively on lees and bottled with a low dosage of approximately 4 g/L, it delivers a more vinous, structured and gastronomic style of rosé Champagne.
The nose is intensely expressive, revealing wild cherry, blood orange and pomegranate alongside peony, rose petal and subtle spice. The palate is beautifully textured, combining vibrant red berry fruit with fine mousse, chalky minerality and a distinctive saline freshness. Layers of cherry, orange zest and gentle savoury complexity unfold through a long, dry finish. The absence of malolactic fermentation preserves remarkable tension and precision, while extended lees ageing adds depth and refinement. La Revue du Vin de France praised its notes of cherry and peony and its strong rosé identity.
Ben’s Recommendation:
A serious grower rosé Champagne that offers far more depth and character than many larger-house rosé bottlings. Complex, structured and wonderfully food-friendly, it pairs beautifully with smoked salmon, duck breast, tuna, grilled lobster, charcuterie and mushroom dishes. Drinking superbly now, but it has the balance and concentration to continue evolving over the next 8–10 years, developing additional savoury and tertiary complexity.
