As it's Valentine's Day today, I thought I'd do a brief note on a great rose champagne from what is known as a grower's champagne. 
 
Grower's champagne is a champagne made usually by a family owned vineyard. They're not a big Champagne house, they don't usually sell their grapes to other house, although they can if they so choose to do so, nor are they part of a co-operative. They are independent grape grower in Champagne who make wine from their own grapes. 
 
Champagne Tarlant has been in the Valle de Marne region for over 300 years and the 12th generation of Tarlants is currently making the wine. Benoit and Melanie Tarlant are the brother and sister team bringing their champagne to the world. 
 
What sets Champagne Tarlant apart from other champagnes is the fact that they are best known for their wines made with zero dosage. Usually when champagne is made, a dose of sugar is added after disgorgement to balance out the sugar and acidity in the wine. Champagne Tarlant do not add any sugar. They believe that their grapes are picked at the optimum time and there is no need for added sugar. As Melanie told me when I was visiting, "sugar is like make-up, it dresses up the wine. Our wines do not need anything added, they are great they way they are..."
 
While I was visiting, I tasted their most recent rose champagne and it was indeed a beautiful wine. Zero dosage, no sugar added but it didn't taste like it. Well balanced with lovely red fruit notes coming through along with refreshing acidity but not too much. I would never have guessed it was made with no sugar added. A real treat. What made it even more of a treat was that we were out in the vineyards, sipping in the snow! 
 
Champagne Tarlant is available in the UK from independent merchants.