Pommery POP Pink

Pink POP is the rosé in Pommery's POP range - the same idea that broke the rules back in 1999, when Pommery became the first house to make a Champagne designed to be drunk straight from the bottle, through a straw if you liked. It was aimed at a younger crowd who found the usual Champagne ceremony a bit much, and a whole category of single-serve fizz followed. This is the pink one, and inside it is proper Pommery rosé - made the house's own way, a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot wines with a touch of red wine added to give it that pale, tender pink colour. The Chardonnay, largely from around Reims, brings the freshness and the delicacy the house is known for. It leads with red fruit - redcurrant, strawberry and a little pomegranate - over a soft, pastry-like note, with fine bubbles and an easy, just-off-dry finish in the Extra Dry style. It comes in a 20cl bottle with a real cork and full wire cage, a Champagne bottle in miniature. One bottle is a single generous glass. Serve it as cold as you can, straight from the fridge.