The Rise of Pink Champagne and Pink Prosecco

With such a surge in popularity over recent years, you’d be forgiven for thinking rosé Champagne was a relatively new creation. However that’s really not the case. The first bottles were thought to have been produced by Champagne house, Veuve Clicquot, in 1775. Although recent papers have been discovered which suggest it was in fact the oldest Champagne house to exist today, Ruinart, who first produced pink Champagne in 1764. Either way, it’s fair to say it has graced the earth for a long time.

Champagne has a way of exciting people unlike any other wine, and it’s been our go-to celebratory drink for centuries. This same love for ‘white’ Champagne has been passed on to its rosé sibling, with people falling in love with the romantic pink hue and dry style.

So how is that pretty pink colour created in rosé Champagne? Well, a few techniques can be used to create this, one of which is simply by blending a small amount of still red wine – generally around 15% – with white wine before it undergoes its second fermentation in the bottle. This is actually the most common way in which pink Champagne is produced and is known as assemblage. Of course, the red grapes used still have to be varieties authorised under the AOC, and are most commonly Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier.

Another way in which rosé Champagne can be produced is through maceration whereby black-skinned grapes are left to macerate for a few hours before pressing in order to create the desired colour. This method is known as saignée and is similar to the way still rosé wine is made.

Pink Prosecco is a much newer addition to the world of wine in comparison to pink Champagne. Up until October 2020 Prosecco was only allowed to be produced as a white wine. However the Prosecco DOC Consortium (the group that governs the Prosecco region) made changes to the rules which then allowed the skins of Pinot Noir grapes to also be used in production rather than just the flesh. It’s the skins that give the wine its colour, so this change in the rules allowed for pink Prosecco to be born.

This new era of Prosecco has taken the world by storm with sales sky rocketing since the first bottles launched. In fact in 2020 alone, 16.8 million bottles were produced with this number thought to increase over coming years to 50 million. The success of this pink fizz is no surprise considering Prosecco has been the best-selling sparkling wine on the planet for a number of years now.

In order to be classed as Prosecco DOC Rosé strict rules need to be followed. The only grapes permitted to be used are Glera – the grape used to produce ‘white’ Prosecco – and Pinot Noir, which has to account for 10-15% of the blend under the guidelines. Produced using the Charmat method, like standard Prosecco, the second fermentation of this pink fizz is required to take place in a tank for a minimum of 60 days, creating those signature bubbles we’ve all come to love.

Beyond the difference in production method and grape varieties, the real difference in these wines comes down to the taste and style. Rosé Champagne has similar qualities to that of regular Champagne with a rich, creamy texture which has a luxurious mouthfeel. The palate features some of the signature secondary flavours you’d expect to find in Champagne such as almond and brioche, however the big difference is that rosé Champagne often has fresher fruity notes too thanks to the addition of the red wine, such as strawberry and cherry.

Pink Prosecco on the other hand is often very dry and much lighter and fresher in style, making it, arguably, a little easier drinking. Those classic Prosecco flavours of green apple, citrus and blossom come through on the palate with the addition of summer fruits like raspberry and strawberry, adding a layer of complexity not found in traditional Prosecco. Rosé Prosecco also spends a little longer in the tank during the second fermentation, which gives the wine a softer and rounder palate.

It wouldn’t be right to talk all things pink fizz and not mention the incredible sparkling wines being produced on our very own shores. English wine has experienced a renaissance over recent years, driven by an increase in production and popularity of sparkling wines. With a climate and terroir similar to that of the Champagne region, winemakers here are producing some incredible bubbly that’s giving even the most prestigious Champagne houses a run for their money.

Produced using the traditional method and often with the same combination of grapes used in Champagne, English sparkling rosé is understandably much more similar in style to the famous French fizz than Prosecco, with the pink hue also coming from the use of Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. However, the flavours are often a little more delicate with notes of crisp green apple, lemon and strawberry. Perfect for the summer months, English sparkling rosé is certainly worth getting your hands on next time you are looking for a celebration fizz.

Check out our full range of sparkling wines at the link below.