L. Aubry Fils 'Cuvée Nicolas Francois Aubry' Sablé Rosé Brut

93

2021-03-31

Disgorged in October 2018, Aubry's 2014 Brut Nature Rosé Sablé Premier Cru is showing very well, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of oatmeal, fresh peach, woodsmoke, orange oil and dried linden blossom. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, vinous and crisply textural, with racy acids, a delicate low-pressure mousse and a long, penetrating finish. While I found the 2013 rendition—reviewed last year—a little austere, the more generous 2014 vintage is more naturally giving and inviting in the wine's chiseled, bone-dry register. A saignée of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier gives the wine its color and amounts to some 30% of the unusual blend, complemented by fully 20% Arbanne and 25% Petit Meslier, the balance coming from Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay.

92

2020-11-18

The 2014 Brut Rosé Sablé Nicolas Francois Aubry is a pretty, exotic Champagne. Deceptively light on its feet, the pale-colored Sablé exudes striking aromatic depth and tons of character. Mirabelle plum, cinnamon, mint and dried flowers are all beautifully lifted. Readers should expect an eccentric, unusual wine. The Sablé is the sort of Champagne that really needs to be savored over a number of hours, as it has many shades of dimension that only emerge over time. Disgorged: October, 2018