Grande Cuvee 1531 de Aimery Brut Rose

Champagne might be France’s most famous sparkling wine but it ain’t the oldest – or the most affordable!

They reckon that title goes to the monks of the Saint Hilaire monastery in Limoux in the Languedoc region of southern France, who discovered the secret of creating fizz long before Dom Perignon (another monk, now quite famous, you might’ve heard of him?).

Limoux is where this little beauty comes from. Grand Cuvee 1531 de Aimery is an absolute lesson in looking for bang for your buck outside of Champagne. A fresh, vibrant style bubbly with what snobby types would tell you has “yeasty complexity” (that’s because of 18 months on lees, a winemaking technique used to add texture and flavour).

Scoring 4 1/2 Stars with NZ wine critic Michael Cooper who said “Bright pink, this blend of chardonnay, chenin blanc and pinot noir was grown in southern France and bottle-fermented. Full of personality, it is medium-bodied (12.5% alc/vol), with vivacious, strawberry, slightly peachy and spicy flavours, yeasty notes and excellent complexity and harmony.”

It also won Gold and 95/100 at the New World Wine Awards in both 2021 and 2022 with the judges saying “French winemakers have long perfected the art of making sparkling wines at every level. This charming Rosé from France is elegantly expressed with red apple, citrus peel and subtle spice aromas, combined with a richly textured mouthfeel, finishing delightfully dry and lingering. A splendid aperitif with platters and small bites, and an excellent bubbles to partner mild cheeses.”

Thrown in some stylish packaging and hey presto – it’s a Rosé Champagne look-a-like at a third of the cost!