Champagne Louis Roederer was established in 1776 and is now run by the 7th generation of the family, Frédéric Rouzaud. With over 240 hectares of vineyards located exclusively in the Grands and Premiers Crus villages, Champagne Louis Roederer is self-sufficient for approximately 70% of their non-vintage production and 100% of their vintage champagnes.
Pioneers in sustainable farming, Louis Roederer use organic practices in all their vineyards, and are certified organic in 115 hectares, with the remainder of the estate in conversion. The whole estate uses biodynamic practices and is inspired by the concepts of permaculture. Working hand in hand with nature, respecting terroir and the pursuit of taste underpins everything they do.
A great Rosé champagne must be made from very ripe grapes – something difficult to obtain in the Champagne climate. As a result, Louis Roederer has chosen to invest in one of the earliest Champagne curs villages, Cumières, for which the steeply-sloping, shallow clay and limestone soils face south and benefit from additional light reflected from the river Marne, enabling great phenolic maturity to be achieved. In these select terroirs, Louis Roederer applies the precision wine-making methods required to craft a siagnée rosé. The Chardonnay is from the north facing slopes in Chouilly, bringing bright and fresh notes.
Over the years Louis Roederer has developed a unique technique for the production of its rosé champagnes. This process, referred to by Roederer as the ‘infusion’ technique, allows us to bring out the juicy, ripe character of the Pinot Noirs whilst preserving their exceptional freshness. A small amount of Chardonnay juice is added to the Pinot Noir maceration which then ferment together and integrate harmoniously.
The 2017 Vintage has a cepage of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. 29% of the wine is aged in oak. 24% went through Malolactic Fermentation and the dosage is 8g/l. It spent 4 years on the lees.
2017 was a year of living dangerously! An exceptionally warm and dry winter and spring, but the latter brought severe frosts from 17-29 April, setting the sorry record for 12 nights of frost. These were followed by a dull, wet and not particularly hot summer, which ended in an almost tropical (hot and humid) spell at the end of August. This sudden change led to a significant increase in grey rot on the ripening Pinot noir and Meunier grapes. The harvest was fast-paced and completed very quickly demanding very precise and methodical selection work of an unprecedented level even for Roederer.
An immediate bouquet of forest fruit (wild strawberries and raspberries) and citrus (blood orange) with some zesty and powdery petal-like notes (rose-flavoured macaroons). Upon aeration, the citrus fruit gives way to iodised and chocolate nuances with a few spicy and resinous (cedar) overtones.
The palate is caressingly soft, delicious, delicate and elegant. We have the sensation of a silky texture that softly evaporates to give way to a cloud of delicate and slightly spicy perfumes. The fruit is concentrated and almost liqueur-like on the mid-palate where it is energised by the fresh and iodised flavours. On the finish, the delectable chocolate nuances combine with the chalky fresness to create a lingering and pure impression of salinity.
smoked salmon, seared tuna, duck or lamb dishes
Light strawberrry deserts
Champagne, France
60% Pinot Noir
40% Chardonnay
Cork
12.5%
8g/l
