What is Pink Champagne? It’s white champagne with red wine added to it. That’s literally it. Most houses just pour in about 5-20% still red wine and boom; pink champagne.
I thought it was made from special pink grapes or something. Nope. They just mix red and white wine together. Champagne is the only region in France allowed to do this. Everywhere else has to use different methods.
How They Make Pink Champagne
There are two ways to make Pink Champagne. The first one’s called rosé d’assemblage, in which you take white champagne and add red wine (usually Pinot Noir). Mix it before the second fermentation. This gives a lighter pink with softer flavours to the Champagne. Most brands use this because it’s easier to control.
The second method is rosé de saignée. You let red grape skins sit with the clear juice for a couple of hours. Skins bleed their colour into the wine. Creates deeper pink with stronger flavours.
Red wine is made the same way except skins stay in for days or weeks instead of hours. That’s why red wine is so much darker.
Started In The 1700s
Madame Clicquot From Veuve Clicquot Is Said To Have Invented The Blended Rosé Champagne In 1818. But Ruinart and others were producing it way before then, like in the 18th century.
An account book from 1764 recorded bottles of “Oeil de Perdrix”, or “eye of the partridge”. Some think it began as a mistake. A worker dozed off, allowing the red grape skins to stay too long in the juice. The story could be true, or it could be rubbish.
Pink Champagne Brands
The big names all make rosé. Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon, Bollinger, Laurent-Perrier, Ruinart. Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Is Famous. They use the maceration method and the champagne comes in that nice bottle that looks mediaeval.
Bollinger didn’t ship one out until the late 1970s. The woman who ran this business, Madame Lily Bollinger, was against making rosé. After she passed on, they finally released their Bollinger Rosé in the mid-1980s.
It is now one of their bestsellers. At the upper end are Dom Pérignon Rosé and Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé. They cost hundreds of quid.
So the best pink Champagne depends on your budget. Want something light and fruity? Go for blended styles. Prefer something with more punch? Try rosé de saignée.
Sainsbury’s Pink Champagne Prices
You can get pink champagne at supermarkets now. Sainsbury’s Own-Brand Pink Champagne starts from around £24. Made by the Louis Kremer Champagne House.
Bollinger Rosé at Sainsbury’s is about £62 but they run promotions where you buy six bottles and save 25% with Nectar. That drops it to around £46.
Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé sits at about £82 normally. Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial Rosé is usually £41 with Nectar prices, down to £30.75 if you buy six.
Pink Champagne price varies massively. Get a decent bottle for £25-30 or spend £500+ on vintage Dom Pérignon. Most people spend £30-60 for special occasions.
September 2025 data showed high-priced pink champagne declining by 5% in volume. Supermarkets have been slashing prices to shift stock before Christmas.
Sweet Vs Dry
Most pink champagne is dry (brut style). But you can get sweeter versions. Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Rosé and Veuve Clicquot Rich Rosé are both sweeter.
They make sweet pink champagne by adding more sugar in the dosage at the end. The dosage is wine and sugar mixed together, topped up before the bottle’s sealed.
I prefer dry. Sweet ones can be cloying. But loads of people love them, especially if you don’t drink champagne regularly.
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What It Tastes Like
Red fruit flavours such as strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. You get it from the red wine or red grape skins. Frequently has a creamy texture from several years spent ageing on the lees (dead yeast cells).
Blended types are lighter and more delicate. Fresh strawberries and citrus. Macerated styles tend to be richer and deeper in berry (and sometimes earthy, yeasty) flavour.
Some believe that pink champagne is sweeter than white. Not true. Most are just as dry. There are too many red fruit flavours for anyone to think this is anything but slightly sweet, even when it’s bone dry.
Food Pairing
Pink Champagne works brilliantly with food. Fuller body and fruit flavours mean it can handle stronger tastes than white champagne.
Goes well with smoked salmon, pâté, shellfish, red fish like tuna, lightly cooked red meat, sun-ripened vegetables, and fresh berries.
Had it once with duck breast and it was perfect. The fruity champagne cut through the rich meat.
White champagne is usually drunk on its own. Pink champagne is more versatile for food.
Not Regular Rosé Wine
What is Pink Champagne compared to Regular Rosé? Pink champagne is sparkling. Rosé wine is still (no bubbles).
Pink champagne tends to be crisper with more acidity. The second fermentation that creates bubbles adds complexity. Regular rosé is often softer and fruit-forward.
Pink champagne can only come from the Champagne region in France. Made anywhere else, it’s called sparkling rosé. Like Cava Rosado in Spain or Prosecco Rosé in Italy.
Why It Costs More
Pink champagne usually costs more than white champagne from the same house. Sometimes £10-20 more per bottle.
Partly because it’s seen as more exclusive. Fewer bottles get made. Maceration method is trickier, as you have to monitor colour and flavour constantly.
Mostly it’s marketing, though. Pink champagne looks fancy. Seems more special for celebrations. So they charge more money because people pay it.
Between 2002 and 2018, consumption went up 40% globally. Everyone wanted the pretty pink bubbles. Demand increased; prices followed.
Can You Age It?
Some age beautifully for 10-25 years. Vintage ones especially, such as Dom Pérignon Rosé, Cristal Rosé, and Bollinger Grande Année Rosé.
But you need perfect storage. Cool temperature, no light, bottles lying horizontally. Get it wrong and you’ll ruin hundreds of quid.
Most non-vintage pink champagne should be drunk within a few years. Won’t go bad but won’t improve either. Save ageing for expensive vintage bottles.
What You Need To Know
Pink champagne isn’t made from special pink grapes. It’s white champagne coloured by adding red wine or soaking red grape skins for a bit.
Does that make it less special? Not really. Still tastes brilliant. Still has lovely bubbles. Still feels fancy when celebrating.
The blending method is actually clever. Only Champagne is allowed to mix red and white wine like that.
Never tried it? Grab a bottle next time you’re at Sainsbury’s. Their own brand at £24 is decent for what it is. Or splash out on Laurent-Perrier if you want something proper nice.
Just don’t expect it to taste massively different from white champagne. It’s fruitier, slightly fuller, and a nice pink colour. But it’s still champagne at the end of the day.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, no guarantee is made regarding its completeness, accuracy, or timeliness. The content does not constitute any specialised advice and should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions based on the information contained in this article.
This was such an elegant article. I loved how you explained pink champagne in such a simple way.