Review: NV Le Chemin du Roi Champagne – Brut and Brut Rose
Le Chemin du Roi translates to “the king’s path,” but a better name for the brand might have been Cinquante Cents, on account of the brand being owned by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. (He also has a new Cognac brand, which we’ll be reviewing shortly.) “Roi” is available in three versions, all nonvintage. Today we look at two of them, a brut and brut rose. (The blanc de blancs was not provided.)
Putting aside commentary on the way-way-out-there bottle design, thoughts on the actual wines follow. (All three feature a dosage of 8 g/liter.) Note that prices vary widely on these.
Happy New Year, readers!
NV Le Chemin du Roi Brut – 60% chardonnay, 20% pinot noir and 20% pinot meunier. Fresh notes of apple and toasty shortbread lead the way on an engaging wine, which moves slowly into notes of almonds and a more tart green apple character. A touch of bitterness and a slight green character on the finish give the wine a heavier touch of bite late in the game, but otherwise it drinks exceptionally well and makes for a worthwhile splurge. A- / $150 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]
NV Le Chemin du Roi Brut Rose – 45% pinot meunier, 40% chardonnay, 15% pinot noir (some of which is made as a red wine). This blend is a bit less engaging than the Brut, the pinot meunier giving it a rather doughy texture on the palate. The notes of fresh apple found in the Brut are paired here with some lemon curd elements, with more of that almond character emerging as the wine comes out of its shell. While less acidic than the Brut by quite a bit, this does give the wine a creamier and somewhat more opulent consistency, though this comes at the expense of some of its brightness — and double the price. B+ / $300
NV Le Chemin du Roi Brut Rose
$300
