Louis Roederer
Louis Roederer inherited the Champagne House in 1833, starting the tradition of excellence. His unique approach focussed on the soil. The 1st house to do a cuvee prestige in 1876, ‘Cristal;’ they also made champagne exclusively for Tsar Alexander II. Run by the seventh generation they remain family owned, producing champagne of subtly and elegance.
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Wine Advocate (95)
The 2008 Blanc de Blancs offers a very subtle and substantial, multi-layered bouquet of wet chalk, hazelnuts, stewed apples, lemons, toast, jasmine. Full-bodied and vibrant, this is a highly elegant, very mineral, pure, fresh, firm, tense and persistent Champagne of great complexity. It is still very young but has a great aging potential.$173.00 -
(6x75cl) 2008Wine Advocate (95)
The 2008 Blanc de Blancs offers a very subtle and substantial, multi-layered bouquet of wet chalk, hazelnuts, stewed apples, lemons, toast, jasmine. Full-bodied and vibrant, this is a highly elegant, very mineral, pure, fresh, firm, tense and persistent Champagne of great complexity. It is still very young but has a great aging potential.$1,005.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
From a difficult year (no Cristal, no Vintage) with a wet summer and a harvest already in August (like 2017 and most probably also 2018), Roederer's soon-to-be-released 2011 Blanc de Blancs offers a clear, bright, fresh and very delicate and floral bouquet with almond, hazelnut and nougat aromas. Sourced entirely in Avize (toward Cramant in the north and Oger in the south), where Chardonnay behaved quite well that year, as Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon put it. He noted that the 2011 Blanc de Blancs comes along like a Crémant from the Loire Valley rather than a Champagne from the Côte des Blancs due to its low pressure. Thirty percent of the cuvée was fermented in oak (in 2017, it's 32%) to give a more rich and round style of Blanc de Blancs since the characteristic salinity comes in the finish anyway. We like texture! That's why we pick very ripe grapes at 11% alcohol. We don't chaptalize, and—since 1930—we don't need malolactic fermentation here. We just reduce the pressure to ensure a fuller, richer flow of bubbles. In fact, the 2011 is deliciously rich and charming but also pure, highly delicate (if not tender) and lifted by an airy freshness. The finish is pure and salty and underlines the great elegance, finesse and supple lightness of the 2011. To tell you the truth, this is a damn good 2011! Disgorged in January 2018; tasted May 2018.$510.00 -
(6x75cl) 2013Vinous (93)
Roederer’s 2013 Blanc de Blancs is fabulous. A blend taken from the extreme north and south portions of Avize, the 2013 races out of the glass with stunning Chardonnay purity and finesse. Light on its feet, brilliant and full of energy, the 2013 is off the charts gorgeous. Lemon confit, mint and white flowers are some of the nuances that caress the palate. The Blanc de Blancs is bottled with 4 atmospheres of pressure (as opposed to the more common 5-6), which gives softer contours and an extra degree of suppleness. The Blanc de Blancs is one again the under the radar jewel in the Roederer range. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.$781.00 -
(6x75cl) 2006Vinous (93+)
After much anticipation, the 2006 Brut Nature makes its debut with a bang. All of the classic Roederer signatures are in place, especially in its utterly beguiling, expressive bouquet. Hints of lemon peel, pastry, wild flowers and Chamomile linger on the pointed, crystalline finish. The Brut Nature emerges from estate-owned parcels in Cumieres and Hautvillers, so it is a unique blend, totally different from any of the other wines in the range. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon plans to make the Brut Nature only in vintages that give him the natural ripeness he is looking for. The blend is 60% Cumieres Pinot Noir and 40% Hautvillers Chardonnay. 125 cases imported in the US.$580.00 -
Vinous (94)
Roederer's 2009 Brut Nature is compelling. Powerful, ample and creamy, the 2009 has more than enough natural richness and texture to carry the wine with no dosage. The Brut Nature emerges from vineyards in Cumieres, where the wines are naturally tense, which creates a fascinating push and pull with the ripeness of 2009 and no dosage approach. Of all the grand marque Chefs de Caves, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon is the closest to his vineyards and the most artisan in spirit. That comes through loud and clear in this fabulous Champagne. The Brut Nature is also the single best value within the Roederer range today.$498.00 -
James Suckling (95)
This is very minerally and stony, with chalk and salt and oyster-shell undertones. It’s full-bodied and layered, yet remains intense with a lively finish. Done dry. Umami. No dosage. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Field blend from a single plot in Cumieres. Better in a few years. Drink or hold.$198.00 -
James Suckling (95)
This is very minerally and stony, with chalk and salt and oyster-shell undertones. It’s full-bodied and layered, yet remains intense with a lively finish. Done dry. Umami. No dosage. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Field blend from a single plot in Cumieres. Better in a few years. Drink or hold.$461.00 -
James Suckling (93)
Crisp, tangy and focused, with aromas of raspberries, biscuits, watermelon, seashells, lemons and pink grapefruit. Sharp acidity with very fine bubbles. Field blend from a single plot in Cumieres. 80% field blend of chardonnay, pinot meunier, pinot noir, pinot blanc, arbanne and petit meslier, with 20% of cold-soaked pinot noir. Mineral and bone dry. Dosage 0g/L. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.$420.00 -
Wine Spectator (92)
An elegant Champagne in an aperitif style, with flavors of crushed blackberry, biscuit, spring blossom and Meyer lemon zest riding the finely detailed bead, underscored by a streak of salinity that emerges on the fresh finish.$338.00 -
(1x150cl) NVWine Spectator (92)
An elegant Champagne in an aperitif style, with flavors of crushed blackberry, biscuit, spring blossom and Meyer lemon zest riding the finely detailed bead, underscored by a streak of salinity that emerges on the fresh finish.$253.00 -
Wine Spectator (92)
An elegant Champagne in an aperitif style, with flavors of crushed blackberry, biscuit, spring blossom and Meyer lemon zest riding the finely detailed bead, underscored by a streak of salinity that emerges on the fresh finish.$354.00 -
(1x75cl) 2012Jancis Robinson (17)
62% Cumières Pinot Noir, 38% north-facing Chardonnay in Chouilly. Disgorged early 2017. They keep the Pinot Noir at 4 °C and encourage a long maceration so it’s still juice. When the colour is right they rack and add the Chardonnay juice and then ferment them together. Lécaillon says they don’t make a non-vintage rosé because the colour is not consistent.$110.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2013 Vintage shows the compelling interplay of ripeness and high acids that are so typical of the year. The Vintage is built on a core of Pinot from Verzy, with Chardonnay from Chouilly, on the Cramant border. Constantly changing in the glass, the 2013 is a fabulous Champagne will reward readers with many years of exceptional drinking. The saltiness of Chouilly Chardonnay is a wonderful foil for Pinot here. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon continues to bump up the Pinot here, as he takes the Vintage back to the blend that was used in the 1840s. Dosage is 8.5 grams per liter.$178.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2013 Vintage shows the compelling interplay of ripeness and high acids that are so typical of the year. The Vintage is built on a core of Pinot from Verzy, with Chardonnay from Chouilly, on the Cramant border. Constantly changing in the glass, the 2013 is a fabulous Champagne will reward readers with many years of exceptional drinking. The saltiness of Chouilly Chardonnay is a wonderful foil for Pinot here. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon continues to bump up the Pinot here, as he takes the Vintage back to the blend that was used in the 1840s. Dosage is 8.5 grams per liter.$629.00 -
(6x75cl) 2014Wine Enthusiast (95)
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. Drink from 2022.$732.00 -
Vinous (90)
The 2016 Brut Rosé is charming. Soft and inviting, the 2016 will drink beautifully right out of the gate. Readers will find a beautifully perfumed, gracious Rosé. The 2016 is not the richest or most complex vintage Rosé Roederer has released lately, but it is impeccably balanced and very easy to enjoy for its sensual personality. If I have one critique, is that the dosage feels a bit high. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.$438.00 -
$370.00 -
Decanter (97)
Softly shimmering straw gold, green tints, with a delicate filigree dancing at will around the glass. The nose is gently authoritative; spring flowers garlanding stone fruit, a hint of hawthorn maybe, then lemongrass. The palate has encyclopaedic depth, the intricacies of the Perpetual Reserve weaving their early magic; almond, sloe, gingerbread and apples; the finish has a pleasing twist of bitterness, courtesy the small percentage of oak-aged reserve wine. Maybe the dosage can come down even further, such is the engaging and subtle complexity harnessed elsewhere?$153.00 -
(3x150cl) NVDecanter (97)
Softly shimmering straw gold, green tints, with a delicate filigree dancing at will around the glass. The nose is gently authoritative; spring flowers garlanding stone fruit, a hint of hawthorn maybe, then lemongrass. The palate has encyclopaedic depth, the intricacies of the Perpetual Reserve weaving their early magic; almond, sloe, gingerbread and apples; the finish has a pleasing twist of bitterness, courtesy the small percentage of oak-aged reserve wine. Maybe the dosage can come down even further, such is the engaging and subtle complexity harnessed elsewhere?$383.00 -
Decanter (97)
Softly shimmering straw gold, green tints, with a delicate filigree dancing at will around the glass. The nose is gently authoritative; spring flowers garlanding stone fruit, a hint of hawthorn maybe, then lemongrass. The palate has encyclopaedic depth, the intricacies of the Perpetual Reserve weaving their early magic; almond, sloe, gingerbread and apples; the finish has a pleasing twist of bitterness, courtesy the small percentage of oak-aged reserve wine. Maybe the dosage can come down even further, such is the engaging and subtle complexity harnessed elsewhere?$390.00 -
(12x37.5cl) NVJames Suckling (94)
Dried-lemon, apricot, green-apple, salted-almond, walnut and light caramel notes. Vinous and layered, with small and tight bubbles. Excellent focus and intensity. Based on 2018, with reserve wines going back to 2009. Dosage 8g/L. Drink now.$418.00 -
James Suckling (94)
Dried-lemon, apricot, green-apple, salted-almond, walnut and light caramel notes. Vinous and layered, with small and tight bubbles. Excellent focus and intensity. Based on 2018, with reserve wines going back to 2009. Dosage 8g/L. Drink now.$173.00 -
James Suckling (94)
Dried-lemon, apricot, green-apple, salted-almond, walnut and light caramel notes. Vinous and layered, with small and tight bubbles. Excellent focus and intensity. Based on 2018, with reserve wines going back to 2009. Dosage 8g/L. Drink now.$293.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
Wafting from the glass with aromas of mandarin oil, warm bread and raspberries, mingled with notes of clear honey, blanched almonds and pastry cream, the 1996 Cristal Rosé Vinothèque is showing superbly. It's full-bodied, tensile and searingly chalky, but this concentrated and intense wine's racy spine of acidity is beautifully integrated. This was the first blend Lécaillon presided over as a Roederer employee—three years before he was appointed chef des caves in 1999—and it was clearly a harbinger of great things to come. Amazingly, the finished pH is fully 2.82, yet the wine is perfectly balanced.$5,485.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
The 2000 Cristal Rosé Vinothèque is similarly striking, soaring from the glass with notes of confit orange and stone fruit mingled with honeycomb, freshly baked bread and subtle hints of fresh field mushrooms. Full-bodied, vinous and multidimensional, it's ample and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and a long, sapid finish. It's a remarkable wine in its prime today.$3,705.00 -
(1x75cl) 2000Wine Advocate (96)
The 2000 Cristal Rosé Vinothèque is similarly striking, soaring from the glass with notes of confit orange and stone fruit mingled with honeycomb, freshly baked bread and subtle hints of fresh field mushrooms. Full-bodied, vinous and multidimensional, it's ample and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and a long, sapid finish. It's a remarkable wine in its prime today.$2,200.00 -
James Suckling (95)
This is a cool, mineral and even austere white, showing notes of apricot stones, chalk, wet clay, white ash, grapefruit and sandalwood. It’s medium-bodied, sharp and alert, with spiciness and tension. Chardonnay from lieu-dit Volibarts in Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger. Mostly vinified in ceramic with 25% in new oak. Better from 2024.$565.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2018 Camille Hommage Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is sourced from Volibarts, a well-exposed parcel in Mesnil that informed the 1961, the last Coteaux Champenois made at Roederer. It was aged in a combination of 60% amphora, 20% new oak and 20% steel. Lemon confit, almond, dried flowers and tropical accents fill out the layers effortlessly. It will drink well right out of the gate.$557.00 -
James Suckling (97)
So expressive on the nose, with cedar, dried lemon, praline, flint, chalk, grapefruit, white apricot and peach stone. So intense. Sharp, but creamy, with beautiful density and a compact mid-palate, yet elegant and refined. Medium body. Crazy length. Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. 1,665 bottles made. Try from 2023.$565.00

