This blend is mostly Pinot Noir and Meunier, including 10 percent red wine for color. Chardonnay accounts for 10 to 20 percent, including a portion of reserve wines that may be providing the oceanic, oyster-shell notes that bring to mind Champagne's Kimmeridgean limestone. This is broad and loose up front, with fruity scents of orange and pomegranate. Then the wine keeps buzzing with brisk acidity, tightening up and extending the flavors with energy. An impressive release of Imperial.
Brut Rose Imperial is a blend of the three wine varieties, with an emphasis on Pinot Noir, embodying a fruity and daring character. A dry, delicate rose, displaying hints of strawberry, melon and honeysuckle. Light-bodied and tangy, with a spice-tinged finish. Full bodied, zestful, assertive fruitiness.