Deep salmon color; strawberry, blackcurrant, cherry, plum, rose petal, toasted almonds on the nose and palate.
Dry (25 g/L); no tannins; moderate acidity (5.72 g/L). Light body, very delicate bubbles. Blend of 90% syrah, 5% grenache, 5% cinsault; 100% syrah dosage. At “dry” it has a whiff of sweetness—dry is the level of sweetness up from off-dry, significantly more than brut in sparkling wine terminology. Relatively low acidity, especially for a sparkling, in the low end of normal. Lower acidity can engender flatness, but this does not approach that. With its touch of sweetness and amenable acidity, this is built to be a general crowd pleaser, which it is. Luc Belaire is one of the top-selling French sparkling wines in the United States. 12.5% ABV
Luc Belaire Rare Rosé is made using the Charmat or “tank” method which involves secondary fermentation in glass-lined stainless steel tanks rather than the “traditional” method of secondary fermentation in the bottle. This effort spends six months in tank. The Charmat method is similar to the method used in prosecco and other price-friendly sparkling wines. It produces larger, more lively and aggressive bubbles that are less persistent. Most important, the method is less labor intensive, thus the lower pricing. Charmat wines also, by design more than as a production artifact, tend to be slightly sweeter. The combination of slight sweetness, lower acidity, and affordable pricing have made them marketplace powerhouses. Luc Belaire Rare Rosé Sparkling certainly is no exception.
The Lus Belaire operation claims a start date of 1898, the year Marie Ambal founded Maison Veuve Ambal in Burgundy. Luc Belaire launched in 2011, a vision of Brett Berish, CEO of Sovereign Brands, a family-owned international wine and spirits company. Although both operations are run by members of the Piffaut family, Lus Belaire is not associated with Veuve Ambal. Veuve Ambal is produced by the Piffaut family in Burgundy using the traditional method, known as crémant because it is not made in Champagne. Production of Luc Belaire is overseen by multi-generational Piffaut winemakers at their Charmat operation in southern France. Grapes for Luc Belaire rosé are sourced in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azure, a region synonymous with the French Riviera.
Luc Belaire Rare Rosé and its distinctive black bottle launched the brand in 2011. The brand’s breakout came in 2013 when it gained the endorsement of American rapper Rick Ross—causing the musician to earn the nickname “Ricky Rozay.” Today, it is the brand’s biggest seller, selling more than one million 9-liter cases beginning in 2021. Pernod Ricard, one of the world’s largest spirits companies, took a minority stake in Sovereign Brands in 2021, and in October 2022 increased its investment and began fully consolidating Sovereign Brands in its financial statement.
Luc Belaire Rare Rosé Sparkling NV, France is one of the top-selling sparkling rosés in the U.S. Faint sweetness, restrained acidity, and delicious strawberry flavor make it a crowd pleaser among sippers who want a mildly pleasant experience rather than an oenological adventure. Priced at the higher end of generally affordable sparklings, it found a niche in younger, hipper drinkers, especially after endorsement by rapper Rick Ross (aka Ricky Rozay). Widely available. $30
Pairing—All sparkling is versatile. This clearly is built for solo-sipping, as an aperitif, and as a general party wine. It also pairs nicely with food: grilled seafood, salmon, smoked salmon canapés, crab, shellfish, seafood paella, fish and chips, richer sushi, grilled shrimp skewers. Can work with grilled meats, duck, roasted chicken, pizza, cured meats and charcuterie; bruschetta with tomato basil; light canapés. Cheese—Fresh cheeses, burrata, fresh mozzarella, chèvre, fromage blanc; feta, halloumi; aged chèvre (humboldt fog), summer-milk comtè, goat gouda (black betty); cheddar, baby swiss.
[There are no online photos of the Luc Belaire operation or principals.]