Roederer Reckoning: Tasting and Sale!
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Louis Roederer needs no introduction. They make one of wine’s most recognized and beloved labels: Cristal, which many Champagne lovers consider to be the epitome of bubbly perfection. But the house’s prestige extends far beyond just one iconic cuvée; they are revered for their deep-rooted commitment to quality across the board, which they know is only possible with perfectly farmed fruit.
Most Maisons – these big houses that make and sell Champagne – purchase the majority of their grapes from any of the thousands grape growers across the region. Back in the 19th Century, Louis Roederer moved against traditional norms, choosing a more hands-on understanding from soil to glass. His purchase of a parcel in the Grand Cru Verzenay forever shaped the fortunes of the company. They now own 70% of the vineyards from which their grapes come from, more than any other Maison.
Today that commitment has been exceeded under the focused watch of Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon. The only Chef de Cave who insisted on control of not just the cellar work, but of the vineyards as well. The stewardship has been expanded on by the gradual conversion of the entire estate, first to sustainable, and now towards organic and biodynamic certification.
We were recently lucky enough to host Roederer Champagne as part of our virtual tasting series. Watch the full tasting below:
Because every wine Roederer makes is remarkable, we decided to offer them all. There is something for everyone – from stocking stuffers to rare jeroboams, and everything in between.
Tasting notes are below!
Shop ALL Louis Roederer Champagne!
Louis Roederer Champagne
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Premier, NV $49.99 $42.99
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Premier, NV (375ml) 28.99 $26.49
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Premier, NV (1.5L) $129.99 $110.49
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Premier, NV (3L) $337 $287.30
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Premier, NV (6L) $660 $561
“42% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 18% Meunier from 55% estate vineyards; 16% fermented and matured in oak casks; 30% malolactic. The rise and evolution of this cuvée over the past 15 years, and particularly since the construction of its dedicated facility in 2007, has showed no sign of slowing today, as Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon continues his fanatical regime of experimenting, tweaking and refining every detail. I’ve long adored Brut Premier, a grand pinnacle and dependable bargain in the non-vintage Champagne stakes. 94pts” -- Tyson Stezler, Decanter
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut, 2012 $79.99 $67.99
“The 2012 Brut Nature is rich, powerful and incredibly expressive. It is also the most complete Brut Nature Roederer has made, as it has less of the austerity of previous releases and more creaminess. Powerful and yet gracious, the 2012 has so much to offer. Dried flowers, chamomile, dried pear and mint are all laced throughout this sublime, wonderfully nuanced Champagne. The Brut Nature is a field bend of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier taken from three parcels in Cumières and vinified together. 94pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Rose, 2014 $101.99 $86.69
Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Rose, 2014 (375ml) $49.99 $42.99
“The Roederer style has become drier as the fruit has become riper and this finely balanced Champagne is an excellent example. Taut and textured, with great freshness allied to the mineral and fruit tones, this wine just hints at tannins as it moves towards maturity. 95pts” -- Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs, 2011 $97.99 $83.29
Insiders Tip: When Roederer does not declare a vintage for Cristal, like in 2011, all of the Chardonnay goes straight to the vintage Blanc de Blancs!
“Roederer's 2011 Blanc de Blancs is showing brilliantly and no doubt reflects Lecaillon's decision to be extremely selective, taking fruit only from four particularly successful plots in Avize. Offering up aromas of crisp yellow apple, blanched almonds, white flowers and nougat, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and enveloping, with a ripe but racy core of fruit that's complemented by a delicate, low-pressure mousse, concluding with an elegantly precise finish. This may not make especially old bones in the cellar, but this elegant, charming Blanc de Blancs is drinking beautifully today. 93pts” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Nature (Philippe Starck Label), 2012 $99.99 $84.99
“The 2012 Brut Nature is rich, powerful and incredibly expressive. It is also the most complete Brut Nature Roederer has made, as it has less of the austerity of previous releases and more creaminess. Powerful and yet gracious, the 2012 has so much to offer. Dried flowers, chamomile, dried pear and mint are all laced throughout this sublime, wonderfully nuanced Champagne. The Brut Nature is a field bend of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier taken from three parcels in Cumières and vinified together. 94pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer, Champagne Rose Brut Nature (Philippe Starck Label), 2012 $99.99 $84.99
“The 2012 Brut Nature Rosé is rich, explosive and pulsing with energy. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon adds an infusion of 25% cold soaked Pinot Noir into the same base wine as the 2012 Brut Nature, an approach that works beautifully in bringing out the energy and focus that make Champagnes from Cumières so distinctive. Even with all of its power, the 2012 is delicate, airy and full of nuance. This is such a gorgeous wine. I would prefer to drink it on the younger side. 94pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Cristal, 2012 $279 $237
“The 2012 Cristal is another absolutely stellar wine this flight of recent releases. Rich, vinous and beautifully textured, the 2012 has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. In the glass, the 2012 is radiant and luscious, yet it possesses remarkable transparency and striking aromatic depth. Light tropical notes develop in the glass, giving the 2012 a real feeling of exotic beauty. The 2012 is the first vintage of Cristal done with 100% organically-farmed fruit, an approach introduced gradually starting with the 2007 that has profoundly changes Cristal, especially in its aromatic breadth. Two thousand twelve is the vintage where endless trials and experiments in farming and winemaking are fully realized. The 2012 is just stunning. It’s as simple as that. Dosage is just over 7 grams per liter, the lowest it has even been for Cristal. 98pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Rose Cristal, 2012 $647 $549.95
“The 2012 Cristal Rosé is magnificent. When Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon started to move Roederer towards organically farmed fruit, he started with Cristal Rosé, Roederer’s smallest production cuveé. Because of that, Cristal Rosé is the wine in this range that shows the current Roederer style in its fullest expression. Rich, vivid and crystalline in the glass, the 2012 Cristal Rosé is a Champagne of tremendous gravitas. Chalk, white flowers, sweet red berry fruit, mint and blood orange are all beautifully delineated. The 2012 is 55% Pinot from Ay and 45% Chardonnay from Mesnil and Avize. The Pinot fruit gets a 7-10 day cold soak an is the infused into the fermenting Chardonnay musts. Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate, as it is truly magical. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. 98+” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Cristal, 2002 $460 $391
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Cristal Medallion Jeroboam, 2002 $17,475 $14,853
“The 2002 Cristal is now entering its first plateau of maturity, which makes it a terrific Champagne for drinking now. Hints of apricot, brioche, lemon confit, honey, hazelnut, baked apple tart and spice give the 2002 striking layers of nuance. Rich and generous, the 2002 show plenty of the natural opulence of the year and yet retains terrific freshness as well. As always, Cristal is a blend of Pinot from Ay, Verzenay, Verzy and Beaumont sur Vesle, and Chardonnay from Mesnil, Cramant and Oger. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. This is the original 2010 disgorgement. What a wine. 97pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Cristal, 2009 (1.5L) $645 $548
“Rich, radiant and totally seductive, the 2009 Cristal possesses remarkable depth and striking purity. I have often felt that Cristal is released too young, but that is not at all the case with the 2009, a Champagne that is absolutely glorious today. The ripeness of the vintage comes through in spades in the wine's luxurious, enveloping personality. I remember tasting the vins clairs and the Cristal blend back in the spring of 2010. The finished wine is every bit as alluring as those early tasting suggested it would be. The 2009 is a superb Cristal in the making. 96+pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Cristal, 2007 (3L) $4,103 $3,487
“Long-time Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon has produced yet another in a string of superb Champagnes with the 2007 Cristal. Rich, powerful and enveloping, the 2007 takes hold of all the senses and never lets up. The aromatics alone are captivating, but then the wine opens on the palate, revealing layer after layer of flavor to match a multi-dimensional, kaleidoscopic personality that will leave Champagne lovers weak at the knees. The 2007 is 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay, which is to say a bit more Chardonnay-leaning than is the norm. The 2007 is striking today, but it should also age effortlessly for several decades. It is also without question one of the very finest new releases of the year. 97+pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Cristal, 2004 (6L) $10,499 $8,924
“The 2004 Brut Cristal has put on quite a bit of weight since I first tasted it earlier this year. It is a powerful, structured Cristal layered with considerable fruit. Chardonnay seems to play the leading role in 2004, at least today. Cristal is often accessible young, but that is far from the case here. This is a serious, painfully young Cristal that will require considerable patience. Readers who are willing to spend some time with the wine today will find a super-impressive, complete Cristal. The 2004 Cristal is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. 97pts” -- Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate 2010
Roederer Estate
Roederer Estate, Brut, NV $26.99 $22.94
Roederer Estate, Brut, NV (375ml) $15.99 $13.59
Roederer Estate, Brut, NV (1.5L) $68.99 $58.64
“The current release of the NV Estate Brut is made up mainly of fruit from the 2015 vintage. It is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir and was made with about ten grams per liter dosage. Disgorged in October of 2018, it has a fresh, open nose with pure fruit expression: crushed apples, pears and lemon peel mingle with touches of stone, flowers and toast. The medium-bodied palate offers a lovely dichotomy of toasty fruits with uplifted citrusy, minerally accents with a finely beaded mousse, and it finishes long and ultra fresh. 93pt” -- Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
Roederer Estate, Brut Rosé, NV $34.99 $29.74
“The current release of the NV Brut Rosé is made up mainly of fruit from the 2015 vintage and is a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. It was made with about nine grams per liter dosage and was disgorged in March of 2019. Pale salmon-pink in color, it has a lively nose of red berries, crushed stone, musk melon, floral hints and citrus peel and a bright and fresh palate with loads of perfumed red berries and energetic mousse, finishing long and uplifted. 93pts” Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
Roederer Estate, Brut L'Ermitage, 2013 $57.99 $49.29
“The 2013 L'Ermitage Brut is the current release of L'Ermitage and was disgorged in June of 2019. 2013 was the beginning of a long period of drought, and winemaker Arnaud Weyrich feels that it brings this vintage "concentration, phenolics and texture—this wine has body." The nose is open and inviting, golden apples mingling with toast, mushrooms, honey and crushed stone. The medium-bodied palate, with eight grams per liter dosage, has pure fruits tactfully accented by earthy, toasty notes. It's energetic but rounded, supported by a finely beaded mousse, and it finishes long and layered. 93pts” -- Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
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