I was lucky enough to be invited to the amazing Louis Roederer estate in Reims last month, late May 2018.  Getting up early is never easy , but 4.30 AM is great time for the soul.  No Commuters, birds tweeting, the world waking up and life just about to start for the day.  Just a shame I had to walk to the Underground with my eyes shut!

No problems on the Tube and everything at Customs went quickly and efficiently. On the train, the usual business meetings are happening with lots of convivial chatter.   As I take in the Kent countryside swooshing past the window, I feel a sense of jubilation.  Louis Roederer has been on my radar for a while and finally I am on my way.  So I begin to wonder, despite the hour, if a glass of Champagne when I am offered is in fact appropriate.  I refrain this time – its still a little early. even for the GW!

It’s all thanks to Alexandra at Maisons Marques et Domaines (LR Distributor in the UK), that I am finally ticking this House off my “Tours at the Most Coveted Vineyards” bucket list.

Upon arrival  I am greeted warmly by Maria at L.R.  who gives me a fun-packed tour of  the Headquarters and what a great experience it is!  I feel like I am the kid that won the golden ticket touring the Willy Wonka factory!

It’s so great to learn more first hand about a world-class producer and especially one so respected by the industry itself.  There are many producers making unadventurous, bland champagnes for the mass consumer.  But LR is not one of them.  LR produces special wines with distinctive characteristics. What a pleasure to be here!

Louis Roederer is now managed by the seventh generation, led by Frédéric Rouzaud and is one of very few independent, family-run Houses remaining today, producing over 3.5 million bottles and shipping to over 100 countries.

 Starting out as Dubois Père & Fils in 1776,  Louis Roederer inherited and renamed his Uncle’s House in 1833.  In contrast to the practices of his time, Louis decided to invest in his own vines with the idea to master the end to end process of creating vintage wines.  Owning his own vines gave him control of quality and led to particularly distinctive characteristics, establishing L R’s reputation as one of Champagnes best producers.

By 1876, production had reached 2.5 million bottles, 10% of total production of Champagne and exporting had begun to Russia.  Viewed by many as the world’s first prestige cuvées,  Cristal was in fact created at the request of Tsar Alexander II, for exclusive consumption of the Royal Household.  It remained exclusive until 1945 when Cristal was first launched commercially for the rest of the world to enjoy!

Back in 1876 and as the political situation worsened, the Tsar feared assassination and requested that his Champagne was bottled in clear glass so that he could see the bubbles and prevent anyone hiding a bomb in the punt (GW note: a punt is a Champagne bottle’s characteristic bottom recess or hollow).   Louis Roederer commissioned a Flemish bottle maker to create a clear lead glass Champagne bottle with a flat bottom and its why today the bottle is still wrapped individually in its now distinctive yellow cellophane to protect the wine from UV light.

Brut Premier

The freshness, finesse, and brightness of Brut Premier makes it the perfect wine for festive occasions. Its is structured, rich and has a good length.

Brut Premier £42 Berry Bros

After the upheavals of the First World War that destroyed more than half of the LR estate, Léon Olry Roederer reconstructed the new vineyards by buying grapes externally to ensure survival of the House during this difficult period.  He created multi-vintage wine with a consistent flavour, whatever the harvest year.

It is now called Brut Premier.

A blend of around 40% Pinot noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier. It is aged for 3 years in LR’s cellars and left for a minimum of 6 months after dégorgement (Removing frozen yeast after second fermentation in the bottle )

Vintage 2009 Waitrose Cellar £61.99

 LR uses the structure and power of the Pinot noir grapes from the Montagne de Reims (see map) to create its Cuvée Vintage. Exposed to the north-east, the grapes mature more slowly on the vine and the character of the wine intensifies and becomes more refined through ageing – if the vines were exposed to the South East it would be perfect aspect for the grapes to grow. Hence the slowing down of the maturing process

Composed of around 70% Pinot noir and 30% Chardonnay, 30% the Vintage cuvée is generally matured on lees for 4 years and left for a minimum of 6 months after dégorgement (disgorging) to attain perfect maturity.

The palate is characteristic of LR’s vintages:  a rich and winey fullness is refined by the sweetness, acidity and tight blend of the Pinot noir grapes of Verzenay. Tasting reveals sparkling suggestions of candied fruits, almond paste, toast, white chocolate, and caramel

Blanc de Blanc £76.99 Amazon

From 1830 onwards, the House of Louis Roederer acquired extensive knowledge of the terroirs and plot-by-plot vinification. Louis Roederer selected two exceptional Grands Crus: Mesnil-sur-Oger and Avize producing taut, highly aromatic wines that have finesse.

100% Chardonnay, the Blanc de Blancs Vintage cuvée is generally matured on lees for five years and left for a minimum of 6 months after dégorgement.

In the mouth, the attack is typically Chardonnay—it is smooth and delicate, and markedly sweet. Slightly sweetened floral notes and white fruit and dried fruit notes are combined with the almost chalky minerality of the Côte des Blancs.

The texture has notes of sugared almond, a sensation that is strengthened by a soft effervescence that envelops the mouth. This is followed by an impression of finesse, elegance, and freshness, strengthened by suggestions of fresh mint and basil.

CRISTAL

Cristal is both powerful and delicate, combining subtlety and precision.

Cristal 2009 £154.98 Amazon

LR’s most famous wine was created in 1876 to satisfy the demanding tastes of Tsar Alexander II. The emperor asked Louis Roederer to reserve the House’s best cuvée for him every year. To distinguish this cuvée, this exceptional champagne came in a flat-bottomed, transparent lead-crystal bottle. The new brand was named after this precious material, which is particularly transparent and luminous.

Produced uniquely during the best years, when the Chardonnay (around 40%) and Pinot noir (around 60%) grapes have attained perfect maturity, Cristal is aged for 6 years in LR’s cellars and left for a further 8 months after dégorgement.

Cristal is a remarkably balanced and refined champagne. It has a silky texture and fruity aromas, complemented by a powerful mineral quality with white fruit and citrus notes. Cristal is a wine that keeps well: it can be conserved for over twenty years without losing its freshness and character.

THE 2002 HARVEST

2002 was an extraordinary harvest, in which all the criteria for a great vintage in Champagne were met: temperatures were uniformly warm, without excess sun or heat, with a markedly mild winter and a slight shortfall of rain during the growing cycle.

This is regarded as the best year in the last 20.

Cristal 2002 £279.20 Amazon.co.uk

BUY BUY BUY!

GW BEST CHAMPAGNE VINTAGE YEARS

BEST to worst

1990, 1996,1985,1988,2002

1995,1982,2006,2008,2004,1975,1998,1979, 2005

1989,2007,2000,1999,2003,1976,1997, 1993

1986, 1992,1983,1994,1987,1991,1984

If you want something special go for the top row  , something more affordable is 2nd third and fourth row.

Below are question submitted but not answered

GW: Name one thing that you haven’t accomplished that you would like to

GW: Name one champagne other than your own which you like and why –

GW : If you were to keep a memento of your favourite bottle of Champagne –  , what is the best way to remove labels from the Bottle and what would the Champagne be ( If it wasn’t one of yours)

GW : What do you think of the English and Welsh sparkling wine industry.

GW :Name one thing that scares you !

GW :Wine is so much better enjoyed if paired with music. What song/genre would you pair with

The Louis Roederer Estate of wines

GW :What are you drinking at the moment

GW:What wine would you like to try that you have’nt ,or a wine that you want to invest in?

GW:Who is the person/persons you most admire and why

GW: Whats going on in the estate in the month

And finally no GW article would be complete without a music pairing.

A delicious glass of LR Brut Premier goes very well with a spot of Keith Jarrett.

Salut!  GW.