Louis Roederer
Established in 1776, Champagne Louis Roederer is one of the few remaining completely independent family owned, great Champagne houses. By 1876 the House had achieved such a reputation for quality that the second Louis Roederer was asked by Tsar Alexander II to create Cristal for the exclusive use of the Russian Tsars and in so doing created the first ever Cuvée de Prestige. 6th generation Frédéric Rouzaud is now in charge and continues to put quality and tradition at the forefront.
Roederer owns over 214 hectares of vineyards located in the finest areas of Champagne – Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. Roederer is self sufficient for 100% of its vintage styles and provides two-thirds of its production for Brut Premier. Such a high proportion of ‘estate’ grapes is very unusual in Champagne and ensures superior quality at all stages from grape to glass. Roederer’s Brut Premier is blended from six different vintages from over 40 individual plots in a cuvée composed of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier. This Champagne is consistently rated as one of the finest non-vintage Champagnes being full and complex as well as both powerful and modern yet retaining a classic balance. The Brut Vintage is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir mainly from Verzenay and 30% Chardonnay and is based on the diversity of aromatic expression of Pinot Noir. Roederer make a vintage only in exceptional years. A blend of 70% Pinot and 30% Chardonnay, the Brut Rosé comes from the most precocious vineyards in the whole region at Cumières where the light of the steep, south-facing clay and limestone slopes are accented by the Marne river producing high phenolic maturity. The Blanc de Blancs is from the heart of its vineyards in the Côte des Blancs. Roederer have selected two of their best vineyards – Le Mesnil sur Oger and Avize – with typical and complementary characteristics enabling the creation of intense wines that are both subtle and aromatic. Cristal is only produced in the very finest vintages and with meticulous care. A blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay from only the best rated of Roederer’s vineyards in the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs including Aÿ, Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger. The wine spends five years ageing in the cellars then resting for a further 8 months post disgorgement.