Louis Roederer Collection 243 is one of the most crisp, refreshing and well-balanced champagnes one can have. The extraordinary combination of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes brings out a symphony of flavors that makes this champagne truly unique. The deep golden tone with a tinge of amber in the color is translucent to say the least and enhances its beauty. The aromas of juicy nectarine, toasted almond and spiced apple pie, among others, complement the balanced structure of the champagne. The taste is tingling with a slightly-tart undercurrent and gently evolves into a long, savory, and nuanced finish. The end result is a luxurious experience that exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship and quality control of Roederer.

Tasting Notes

The bouquet is open and rich yet also wonderfully fresh. It offers an explosion of ripe, delicate fruit with intense notes of mirabelle plum from the Pinot noir, complemented by sweet lemon meringue pie and delicate notes of jasmine from the Chardonnay. The nose opens up to reveal autolytic characters and evolves towards smoky, roasted notes and freshly baked pastries. The palate is deep and dense with a big, well-structured backbone. The texture is simply mesmerising with its fleshy mouthfeel from the Pinot noir that coats the palate before giving way to an incredible saline freshness with a pleasant hint of bitterness. This wine combines the strength, intensity and power of the delectably ripe Pinot noirs which are balanced to perfection by the chalky freshness and density from the Chardonnay which forms the majority of the blend.

About the Winery

Louis Roederer is a champagne producer in Reims, France. This business was initiated in 1776. It was later integrated and later renamed in 1833 by Louis Roederer. It is one of the few family-run and independent champagne houses or maisons de champagne. Louis Roederer champagne gets shipped yearly (more than 3.5 million bottles) to over a hundred countries worldwide.

Initially, the company was called Dubois Pere and Fils until Louis Roederer inherited it in 1833 from his uncle and then named it. He worked at setting target markets abroad. He concentrated his efforts in different countries, including Russia. Louis Roederer was named by Tsar Nicholas as the official imperial court of Russia's wine supplier. US prohibition and the Russian revolution brought about major difficulties in the 20th century, but the business was re-established and he became a leader in wine production. Cristal was made available commercially in 1945. Even with former generals and officers of the Russian imperial arm being in exile, they still took the champagne. Louis is still one of the best companies specializing in wine production. At the cellar, you find a representation of about 5 years of sales.

The vineyard covers 240 hectares, and two-thirds of grapes are produced here as they are needed for production purposes. However, all other fruit is sourced from well-established farming contacts. Vintage cuvees include chardonnay, rose vintage, pinot noir, and vintage in a proportion of 7:3. Roederer production is about 3.5 million bottles annually. 70 to 80 per cent happens to be Louis Roederer Brut Premier. This is a non-vintage that combines about 4 vintage wines. In its portfolio, Louis Roederer holds chateau Haut Beausejour and Chateau de Pez estates. They have interests in other estates as well. The group also included Scharffenberger in California, Roederer Estate, Domaines Ott in Provence, Ramos Pinto Port in Portugal, and Champagne Deutz. The vineyards are distributed across the main champagne zones, the cite des Blancs, Vallee de la Marne, and Montagne de Reins. Biodynamic principles are employed in cultivation.

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