Rose Champagne Recs and Pairing Options?

[dbound]

Doing my best to celebrate the solstice tonight with a long night of casual cocktails and food. I was thinking of ordering a bottle of Moet Rose Champagne with dinner, but to be honest, I have never tried Rose Champagne before. Anything I should expect, or any recommendations to pair with food?

Thanks.

[Vinny Barbaresco]

I love pink bubbly with fried chicken and potato chips...no kidding.

Champagne has a lot of latitude at the table and works with everthing from sushi to soft cheeses to Chinese take out.

[dbound]

I'll go ahead and report for everyone. Dinner was loud, restaurant was lively (read: packed), service left a little to be desired, seating was somewhat marginal as we sat right near the entrance. All in all, everything I wanted it to be. In those ways it was very close to my experience two years ago as I travelled through Europe after college and spent the Summer Solstice in Paris. One of the best nights of the year in France (in my opinion).

We ordered Moet Rose Champagne (N.V.). For my first experience, I really enjoyed it. We had a great plate of house cheeses, and had salmon with polenta and roasted chicken and frites for dinner. The Moet paired well with everything. All in all, an excellent evening.

[libationist]

Krug, Billecart, Laurent-Perrier, and Gosset are also lovely. Pair with Thai or spicy chinese, fried seafood- especially if it has a little kick, sushi grade tuna. Expect it to have greater aroma and be more flavorful than many NV Champagne.

[dbound]

Thanks, I have always been a fan of sushi and champagne. I'll be dining at a French Bistro here in D.C. Any recommendations with Frech cuisine? Cheeses? Foie Gras?

[whiner]

It really goes well with just abut all French cuisine - from braised short ribs to sole meuniere (sp?)

FWIW, I'm not a huge Moet fan. There are so many to reccomend, but libationist's list is very god. I would add Bollinger, Dethune, and for value, Nicolas Feuillate. If you're going to put Krug on the list, you might as well also put Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose -- awesome. And I'd point out, if you ever do all head-over-heals for rose Champagne, I actually think the best one produced (vintage dependant, of course) is the Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth.

[dbound]

Thanks for the recs. The moet is the only sparkling rose offered at the local bistro I am having cocktails/dinner at so my choice are limited in that regard. I will let all know how it goes.

[dinwiddie]

Too late for your dinner, but you should know that corkage is legal in DC proper (it is up to the restaurant to decide to permit it) so you might be allowed to bring a bottle with you for a corkage fee (usually about $15-20) That is how I've been able to pair the Billecart-Salmon with dinner in DC.

[ibstatguy]

I'll add larmandier-bernier, henriot