The Gosset Celebris Rosé Extra Brut 2008 is a chardonnay-led vintage rosé Champagne from the house at Épernay, pale copper-pink and built on tension rather than sweetness. Chardonnay makes up 72 per cent of the blend to pinot noir's 28 per cent, with 8 per cent of that pinot as red wine, and the dosage sits at 6.5 grams per litre.

Aromas run to white peach, redcurrant and dried strawberry, with the pastry and toasted almond character that comes of a decade resting on lees in the cellars. Air brings orange peel, quince and a faint chalky smokiness.

Extended ageing has drawn the mousse down to a fine, persistent thread that carries a firm, citrus-driven line of acidity — a hallmark of the cool, late-turning 2008 season in Champagne, where a fortnight of sunshine at harvest rescued a difficult year and left the fruit with unusually bright acid. The low dosage keeps the finish dry and saline, with pink grapefruit and a savoury, almost bitter twist at the end.

Pour it with roast duck breast, seared scallops, jamón, or a whole flounder cooked on the bone. It also holds its own against a plate of soft washed-rind cheese.

Drinking beautifully now and worth cellaring through to around 2033 for those who like their Champagne with more autolytic depth and less fruit.