The Trader Joe’s French Brut Rosé is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive sourced from vineyards on the French coast near the Mediterranean Sea. This bottle is simply a French wine and does not have an AOC or IGP designation, making this a Vin de France or the lowest classification of French wine.
Trader Joe’s does not list the grapes used for this Rosé but does say it is a Blanc de Blanc, meaning a White wine from white grapes. The Fearless Flyer says that this Bubbly has a body unlike Blanc de Blanc, but the finish is classic is Blanc de Blanc. So I am confused as to what exactly this Bubbly is. The Trader Joe’s French Brut Rosé is a Rosé and in France, the pink color of the wine must come from skin contact.
So, either some of the white grapes had some red color or a small portion of red grapes were added during the crush. It is not uncommon for white grapes to have color and a wide variety of white grapes are grown in the South of France.
This Bubbly is a Vin Mousseux which translates to Sparkling wine, it also suggests the Bubbly was produced in the Charmat Method or pressurized tank fermentation, like Prosecco. Though there are Vin Mousseux wines that are made in the Champagne style.
I have typically had enjoyable experiences with cheap French Bubbly, the producers seem to set high standards for their Sparkling wine. France is the home of Bubbly wines and poor efforts would not survive long in the wine market.
We do not know exactly where the vineyards are located and we do not know which grapes are in the blend, we are not sure how it was made, and it is the lowest French wine category. But it is only $6.99 and both Trader Joe’s and France have a solid track record when it comes to cheap Bubbly. The alcohol content is 11%.
The Trader Joe’s French Brut Rosé Tasting Notes
The color is an eight-year-old girl’s bedroom pink. The nose is strawberry, light candy spice, lemon, a hint of vanilla, and faint flowers. The Trader Joe’s French Brut Rosé is crisp, tart, and balanced.
This Bubbly tastes like dried cherry, lemon/lime (not sweet), a hint of lime, and cranberry. The mid-palate adds a subdued nutty/salty “on lees” sensation, a little stone fruit, and a little cream.
The acidity of the Trader Joe’s French Brut Rosé is solid, it gives this Bubbly a sturdy foundation and sets up your palate for the next sip.
The Summary
- The Trader Joe’s French Brut Rosé sure doesn’t taste like $7.99 Bubbles.
- Serve this to your guests and they will never guess the price.
- These are tasty Rosé Bubbles.
