LouisRoedererCollection246NV

As the largest independent family-managed Champagne producer, Louis Roederer rank amongst the region’s absolute finest. Established in 1776, the House today is managed by seventh generation family member Frédéric Rouzaud alongside long-time Chef de Cave and Champagne legend Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. They own an astounding 242 hectares of vineyards many in chalk rich Grand Cru villages covering two-thirds of their grape requirements. Roederer have become pioneers in biodynamic farming & by 2012 all 78 hectares the “Cristal Estatesâ€?are farmed using biodynamic methods. By 2021 Roederer have 115 hectares certified organic. All the grapes in Cristal & other vintage cuvee’s come from their own vineyards. The estate is made up of 410 plots which are fermented separately in one of the 450 stainless steel tanks in their Reims cellars. In 2020 Roederer replaced Brut Premier with “Collectionâ€?allowing each years non-vintage blend to be identified and “re-engineeringâ€?the non-vintage cuvee to maintain freshness in the light of global warming on the Champagne region. Today Cristal is, widely recognised as the world’s most awarded prestige cuvée champagne.rrIn September 2021 Collection 242 was launched, replacing Brut Premier.The idea behind Collection was to address the impact in champagne of global warming, “fighting for freshnessâ€?is how Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon described his mission in creating this new champagne. He set about his task in 2013 building a perpetual reserve, adding into it only those wines that displayed those fresh and minerally characters. He also increased the oak reserves, similar to how we use spices in a kitchen. The end result is the perpetual reserve is the “freshening elementâ€?and 36% of the blend, 10% oak reserve wines and 54% from the 2019 harvest. The Collection number represents the number of times they have made a non vintage since the inception of the house in 1776. Here you can find an in depth article about this new cuvee.rrWeather: The 2021 Champagne vintage was one of the most challenging in recent decades, marked by severe spring frosts, persistent rain, and widespread mildew that drastically reduced yields â€?in some areas to just 10â€?0% of normal production. The cool, damp growing season led to uneven ripening, but the grapes that survived produced wines noted for their freshness, purity, and high acidity, reflecting a more classical, restrained Champagne style. Overall quality was highly variable across producers and vineyards, making 2021 a small but potentially interesting vintage for those able to harvest healthy fruit. The harvest took place from September 13th to 30th, 2021.rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru | 33% La Riviere | 33% La Montagne | 33% La CoterGrape Varieties: 54% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir & 11% MeunierrReserve Wines aged in oak: 10% from 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017rPerpetual reserve wines: 35% from 2012, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20rLees Ageing: 3 yearsrCurrent base vintage: 2021 (55%)rWines in oak: 24%rDisgorged: Jan 2025rDosage: 7 g/lrMalolactic Fermentation: 30%rDrink: Now for 8+ yearsrrTasting Note: The bouquet reveals yellow fruits (mirabelle plum and nectarine) and candied citrus (lemon), complemented by toasted, oaky notes (vanilla) which come from the 24% of wines vinified in French oak foudres. The fine reductive notes (shellfish) weave their spell, giving the wine a very chiselled character sculpted by the Chardonnay. The palate is very light and delicate with fruity (peach) and floral (pollen) flavors. The gently releasing bubbles are soft and creamy, creating a mouth-watering impression thanks to the savoury and dry-chalk sensations created on the tongue and lips. The texture on the mid-palate is fresh, oily, powdery and vibrant. The finish is serene and graceful, and lifted by some smoky and toasty reductive notes that are very definitely from the Perpetual Reserve.rrLouis Roederer Collection 246 NV comes in lightweight antique-coloured bottles that filter out nearly 100 percent of light.