Bluestone Saignée Rosé: A Unique Expression of Craftsmanship

We are excited to have just released our first ever Saignée Rosé. 

Made with ripe Pinot Noir grown in 2020 at our own Wiltshire vineyards, this new sparkling wine follows hot on the heels of our Premier Rosé, so we thought it would be useful to explain what makes these wines so special and the differences between the two.

What is Saignée Rosé?

The term "Saignée" (pronounced "sonyay") is French for "bleeding", a reference to the winemaking process. 

Saignée Rosé is produced by "bleeding" the free-run juice from the grape must after a period of extended maceration with the skins. 

Unlike our Premier Rosé wine, which is made by blending red and white wines.

The Saignée method not only imparts a deeper colour to the rosé but also intensifies the flavours, creating a wine that is bolder and more expressive.

The process of making Bluestone’s Saignée Rosé begins with high-quality ripe Pinot Noir from our best parcels on the vineyard. The grapes were carefully harvested and lightly crushed to release the juice. This juice remains in contact with the skins for an extended amount of time, up to 24 hours depending on the character desired. During this time, the juice takes on a vibrant pink hue and extracts tannins, phenolics, and flavours from the skins.

These characteristics and the robust structure of a Saignée, versus a lighter style of rosé, lends itself to longer ageing.

Bluestone Saignée Rosé v Premier Rosé 

One of the most noticeable differences between our Saignée Rosé and Premier Rosé is the colour. Our Saignée rosé is darker, with a more intense pink or even light red hue. This depth of colour is matched by a corresponding intensity in flavour, offering a palate of ripe red fruits. In contrast, our Premier Rosé made by blending has a paler colour and more delicate flavours.

Because of the extended skin contact, Saignée rosés also have a more tannic structure than other rosés. This adds to their complexity and makes them particularly food-friendly, capable of standing up to dishes that other sparkling wines might not.

While all rosé sparkling wines are versatile, the Saignée method allows for a broader range of expressions, from light and fruity to rich and full-bodied, depending on how long the juice remains in contact with the skins and the choice of grapes used.

Bringing back to Bluestone, our Saignée Rosé is Pinot Noir dominant whereas the Premier Rosé is Chardonnay-led. The Saignée is dryer – extra brut with 4 grams of sugar per litre – and the Premier Rosé is Brut - 8 grams per litre.

Saignée is also more expensive to make, not just because the process is more labour-intensive but because it requires more fruit. Four tonnes of grapes would make 3,500 bottles of Premier Rosé but only approximately 2,500 bottles of Saignée.

Our winemaker Nat explains why he decided to make a Saignée Rosé: “2020 was a great year for our Pinot Noir; it had ripened well and had a great fruit profile that we wanted to highlight in a wine. We toyed with the idea of making a still Pinot Noir, but wanted to remain true to our focus on making the best traditional method of sparkling wines that we could. We asked the winemaking team at Hambledon how we could best highlight the quality of the Pinot Noir in this vintage without branching into a still red, and they then suggested we should make a rosé sparkling wine using the saignée method, which we were unfamiliar with. Hambledon had just released a saignée rosé and we liked the expression and decided to give it a go.”

Bluestone Saignée Rosé is a celebration of tradition, innovation, and the unique qualities of English terroir. Its distinctive production process has resulted in a wine that is both vibrant and complex, offering a richer, more structured sparkling rosé. Whether enjoyed on its own or paired with food, it is a wine that embodies creativity and craftsmanship, and it’s well worth exploring if you are passionate about fine sparkling wine.

View our Saignée Rosé here.