Alcohol: 12%
Grapes: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Localization: Côte des Blancs, Mountain of Reims and Grand Valley of the Marne, Champagne, France
Tasting Notes: An enlightened expression from a season of extremes, this has intensity, ripeness and depth of fruit underpinned by chalk soil-derived structure and freshness. Complex nose with lemon and grapefruit aromas, closed red apple, blood orange, light biscuit spices, and toasted hazelnuts. Super fresh. The palate starts pithy and fleshy with pink grapefruit, blood orange, red apple, sliced strawberry and nectarine. Expansive and mouth-filling build driven by concentrated fruit, Then it tightens and turns to a more mineral edge before smoothly honed phenolics finish it long. It is 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, 32% oak fermentation in those same proportions, no chaptalization, no malolactic and a dosage of 7g per liter. From organically farmed grapes. Very complex, it strikes a natural balance and is very drinkable already, though will develop well for more than a decade in the cellar.
98 points Wine Spectator: This vivid Champagne has upfront and linear definition, thanks to rapierlike acidity, with finely meshed flavors of ripe black cherry and mandarin orange fruit, raw almond, anise, and cardamom spice as well as a touch of honeycomb, which all unfurl and expand on the fine, creamy palate. Sleek acidity continues through to the finish, with additional racy character provided by a streak of minerally saline and chalk, which gains momentum through the midpalate and rings out on the well-cut, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2040.
Food pairing: Perfect for rich meats, such as chicken, monkfish or veal in a butter or cream-based sauce; chicken a la king; or smoked monkfish with oyster mousse.
The Domain: In 1845, Louis Roederer acquired 15 hectares in the Grand Cru vineyards of Verzenay. The idea—which was quite unusual when grapes had little value—was to become a wine grower to master the entire process of creating his vintage wines. Ever since, every Louis Roederer vintage originates exclusively from our own vines, which is rare indeed in the Champagne region. The quest for a diversity of terroirs, crus, parcels, and grape varieties in the vineyards (or climats to use the Burgundian expression) was rapidly integrated by the House of Louis Roederer. A groundbreaking strategy was implemented, which involved buying specific parcels selected for their capacity to produce distinctive wines. This strategy is still a core component of the House’s continuing development.
Taking into account the specificities of different soils and the practice of ‘tailor-made’ viticulture enable us to attain optimal grape maturity.
This precise work is carried out with great respect for biodiversity and, increasingly, the principles of biodynamic cultivation. Our vineyards are located in three classic Champagne districts: the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne, and the Côte des Blancs. The diversity and fertility of these sites provide our House with an extensive and rich palette from which to fashion the wines.
The Louis Roederer estate cultivates the 3 traditional grape varieties: Chardonnay is appreciated for its minerality, finesse, and elegance; Pinot noir’s solid constitution adds structure to the blends and prepares them for ageing; Pinot Meunier is a slightly less refined sweet grape variety, whose adaptability brings harmony and softness to certain cuvées.
The grapes in our plots are meticulously gathered by hand and are collected in the buckets and pressed on the site of the harvest. The pressing process is a delicate one, because the berry must not alter the colour of the juice, which must maintain its golden hue and clarity.
2012 was one of the most challenging and complicated years ever experienced in Champagne. However, difficult conditions often lead to great things… Due to the unpredictable weather, the low yields and continental conditions towards the end of the season gave us unusual levels of maturity, resulting in rich, full-bodied and structured wines worthy of the greatest vintages in Champagne.
In 2013, Louis Roederer’s vineyards stretched across 240 hectares and include 410 parcels.
