Balfour Hush Heath Saignée Rosé 2018

Taking a different approach from the conventional blending of a small amount of a red wine into a sparkling white base, this new rosé is made using the Saignée method, where colour is extracted from contact with the red grape skins. This blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier and 5% Pinot Blanc must be one of the most textural wines to have been launched nationally, having just gone into Majestic Wine at £35.00 a bottle.

As soon as I opened this and smelt it, I knew I was going to love it. It is confidently coloured with a big nose of ripe cherry, hints of black fruit, winter berry, dried fennel and spice.

The palate was immediately pleasurable too, with the generosity and ripeness of the 2018 vintage manifesting itself in waves of ripe red and black berries. There’s a slight grip, and those savoury fennel textures once again, combined with a softness of weight. This is textured and delicious!