The Best Champagne Rosé and Food Pairing Guide for Autumn Flavours

March 22, 2025

Even though autumn has officially arrived, summer just isn’t ready to pack its bags. It feels like we’ve been gifted an old-fashioned, extended summer — days that stretch into the evening and warm, sunny afternoons that still feel like January (or July for our northern hemisphere readers). So, while the calendar may say autumn, we’re still craving those lighter, brighter flavours of summer.

To keep the sunshine alive, we’ve crafted a lunch menu that celebrates early-autumn produce while keeping the flavours fresh and lively. Paired with versatile champagne rosé and a variety of seasonal dishes, we invite you to host with flair in a casual yet sophisticated atmosphere. Let’s toast to this never-ending summer!

On my weekly market trip, the stalls were overflowing with the season’s final bounty. Just picture this: figs, quince, apples, pears, plums, grapes, pomegranates, capsicum, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini and sweet corn—each bursting with vibrant, sun-warmed flavours that make you wish summer would never end.

Now, Meet Champagne Rosé: The Perfect Pairing for Seasonal Delights

As we embrace these end-of-summer flavours, champagne rosé steps in as the ideal companion. Its versatility and refreshing character elevate vibrant dishes, enhancing every bite. With delicate berry notes and crisp acidity, champagne rosé pairs beautifully with a range of autumn dishes, balancing earthy, savoury flavours while offering a refreshing contrast.

Whether you’re hosting an autumn dinner party, enjoying a casual family meal, or simply enjoying a quiet evening in, champagne rosé transforms the experience. Let’s explore the season’s bounty with a menu that celebrates autumn’s finest produce and its perfect champagne rosé pairings.

Any of these alluring champagne rosés, with their great vinosity and concentration, bright and balanced fruit, a hint of tannin, and emblematic sparkle, are the perfect pairing for our Lunch at Sally’s Menu:

Champagne JM Sélèque Solessence Rosé NV

Champagne Laherte Freres Rosé de Meunier NV

Champagne Bérêche et Fils Campania Remensis Rosé 2020

JM Sélèque Solessence Rosé NV

Solessence Rosé comprises Chardonnay (45%), Meunier (40%) and Pinot noir (15%), and is based on a single vintage blended with 40% perpetual reserve wine. The addition of colour and texture comes from two different sources: 10% skin-contact Meunier and 5% Coteaux Champenois Rouge (still red wine) from Pinot noir.

Initially refreshing and brisk with dazzling streaks of chalky minerality, a laser-focussed acidity lifts the fruit out and upwards, deepening the mid-palate into flavours of red fruits, juicy watermelon, apricot, quince and lemon. Meunier and Coteaux Champenois Rouge lend a savoury, textural impression on the generous finish, culminating in a gastronomic and finessed experience that is sure to delight all tastebuds.

Laherte Frères Rosé de Meunier NV

Rosé de Meunier is composed of 100% Meunier from Coteaux Sud d’Épernay and Vallée de la Marne vineyards. Using both methods of champagne rosé creation, assemblage (‘blending’) and saignée (‘bleeding’), the Meunier is expressed three ways:

60% is made as a white wine (40% of this portion comes from barrel-aged reserves)
30% is made as a rosé using the saignée method (grapes are macerated on skins and seeds for a short period before the juice is drained off to ferment on its own)
10% is made as a still red wine.

Texturally dry at the beginning, the precise edges billow out with body as rich fruit and saline lingers with liveliness on the tongue. A unique and harmoniously balanced cuvée with strong character and elegance.

Bérêche et Fils Campania Remensis Rosé 2020

Taking its name from the ancient Roman term for the picturesque region surrounding Reims, Campania Remensis Rosé 2020 is a masterful blend of 70% Pinot Noir and Meunier, 25% Chardonnay, with a touch of 5% still red wine. The grapes are sourced from the brothers’ maternal grandmother’s vines, which were planted in the 1950s. These three hectares of vines thrive in the sandy soils of the Les Montées vineyard in Ormes, located just west of Reims.

On the palate, this rosé reveals an evolving profile, starting with vibrant red berry notes, followed by hints of Bandol-like blood orange, subtle tobacco, and sweet spice undertones. Chalky mineral and saline characteristics add a distinctive depth, while the texture is both soft and luxurious, leading to a precise and crisp finish. An elegant yet captivating expression of its terroir, this champagne rosé has a salty richness that leaves a lasting impression.

MARCH: LUNCH AT SALLY’S

When it comes to fresh, seasonal produce, sometimes less is more. The vibrant, natural flavours of just-harvested fruits and vegetables are so full of character that they don’t need much to shine. The key is in the careful assembly of high-quality ingredients—each one enhancing the next—allowing their natural flavours to harmonize effortlessly. With the right ingredients, a simple preparation—whether it’s a light drizzle of olive oil or a quick seasoning—lets the produce speak for itself, showcasing the true essence of the season. There’s no need for complicated techniques when the ingredients are this fresh and flavourful; they’re already perfect just as they are.