As the largest independent family-managed Champagne producer, Louis Roederer is amongst the region's finest producer. Established in 1776, the House today is managed by seventh generation family member Frédéric Rouzaud alongside long-time Chef de Cave and Champagne legend Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. They own 242 hectares of vineyards many in chalk rich Grand Cru villages covering two-thirds of their grape requirements. Roederer have become pioneers in biodynamic farming and in 2012 all 78 hectares the “Cristal Estates” are farmed using biodynamic methods.
By 2021 Roederer have 115 hectares certified organic. All the grapes in Cristal & other vintage cuvee’s come from their own vineyards. The estate is made up of 410 plots which are fermented separately in one of the 450 stainless steel tanks in their Reims cellars.
All Louis Roederer vintage champagnes are made using grapes from their own estate. Louis Roederer use the structure and power of the Pinot Noir grapes from the Montagne de Reims to create their Brut Vintage blend. The character of the Pinot Noir in the champagne intensifies and becomes more refined through long ageing in wood. It is the Pinot Noirs from the Grand Cru rated village of Verzenay in particular that give the champagnes their velvety, creamy and elegant palate.
Today Cristal from Louis Roederer is widely recognised as the world's most awarded prestige cuvée champagne.
A great rosé champagne must be made from very ripe grapes, which are sometimes difficult to obtain in the Champagne climate. As a result, Louis Roederer has chosen to invest in one of the earliest Champagne crus, Cumières, for which the steeply-sloping, shallow clay and limestone soils face south and benefit from the additional light reflected from the river Marne, enabling phenolic maturity to be achieved. In these select terroirs, Louis Roederer applies the precise winemaking methods required for the production of a saignée rosé. The style of this rosé is elegant, full-bodied and with delicate fruitiness (red fruits). Louis Roederer Brut Rosé is 100% estate-bottled from the grapes of the historic family-owned vineyards.
2013 was characterised by a particularly late growing cycle. The never-ending winter was followed by a very cool, late spring. We had to wait until the start of July for flowering to begin - something we hadn’t seen in Champagne for quite some time! Fortunately, summer was glorious with plenty of sunshine, record high temperatures and very low rainfall, ideal for the ripening of the Pinot noirs and Chardonnays. The temperatures were cool for the October harvest and the resulting wines are elegant and fresh - the signs of a “classic” vintage.
The grapes are from 2 appellations; Verzy, Chouilly in the ‟La Montagne” Estate
« Fresh, light and well-balanced. »
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master
