Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier
Champagne, France
Vintage:Non-Vintage (Past)
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Reviews
JamesSuckling.com
93 Points
December 13, 2020, James Suckling
“A very composed and convincing Brut Premier that is based on the 2016 harvest. The aromas run through lemon and peach to fresh hazelnut, brioche and gently flinty notes. The palate has piercing flavors of grapefruit, lemon, peach and pink berries. Seamless and layered textural build. Fresh finish. Impressive. Drink or hold.”
Wine Enthusiast
92 Points
December 1, 2020, Roger Voss
“Always a fine nonvintage cuvée, this richly textured Champagne has weight to go with the wine's structured fruitiness. White fruits are laced with lime juice and this bottling has a hint of age in its nutty background. Drink now.”
Jeb Dunnuck
91 Points
July 7, 2020, Jeb Dunnuck
“Coming mostly from estate fruit, the NV Brut Premier is a terrific value offering lots of golden apple and white flower notes, medium-bodied, richness, and a textured, balanced, layered mouthfeel. It’s beautifully done and one classy Champagne to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.”
Decanter
94 Points
May 31, 2020, Tyson Stelzer
“42% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 18% Meunier from 55% estate vineyards; 16% fermented and matured in oak casks; 30% malolactic. The rise and evolution of this cuvée over the past 15 years, and particularly since the construction of its dedicated facility in 2007, has showed no sign of slowing today, as Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon continues his fanatical regime of experimenting, tweaking and refining every detail. I’ve long adored Brut Premier, a grand pinnacle and dependable bargain in the non-vintage Champagne stakes.”
The Wine Advocate
92 Points
April 30, 2020, William Kelley
“Based on the 2015 vintage, complemented by 25% reserve wines, the latest rendition of Louis Roederer's NV Brut Premier is showing nicely, opening in the glass with aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, Anjou pear, white peach, pastry cream and subtle hints of freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, with a delicate pinpoint mousse, ripe but racy acids and exquisite balance, this is a beautiful Brut Premier that will age in style; indeed, it will be even better with some bottle age. This is among the finest examples in its category and comes warmly recommended.”
Wine & Spirits
92 Points
December 2019, Joshua Greene
“This is a distinctly red-fruited release of Brut Premier, the only Roederer wine that consistently includes some softer lots taken through malolactic conversion. It tastes like chalk infused with the sweet juice of fraises des bois, deepening to raspberries, lasting on spice. There’s tension to the wine so it finishes clean, but it’s also “fun to drink,” as one taster noted, “with the dosage the wine needed.”
Overview
Since Champagne Louis Roederer‘s founding in 1776, the House has been synonymous with the world‘s greatest champagnes. The upheavals of the start of the twentieth century, in particular the First World War that destroyed more than half of the Louis Roederer estate, led Léon Olry Roederer to reconstruct his vineyard. He decided to buy in grapes to ensure continuity during the period of crisis. In doing so, he created a wine of several vintages with a constant taste whatever the year of harvesting. Today, this wine is Brut Premier! The wines are kept a minimum of three years on the lees for the multi-vintage Brut Premier.
Winemaking
Brut Premier uses all three Champagne grape varieties from more than 40 different plots. 40% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay, 20% pinot meunier - 5% of wines are matured in oak casks with weekly batonnage and 10% of reserve wines are matured in casks. Partial malolactic fermentation. The wine is an assemblage of six years of harvesting, a part of which comes from the Louis Roederer reserve wine collection, matured in oak casks for several years. It is matured for three years in the cellar and rested for six months after disgorgement to perfect maturity. Dosage of between 10 and 11 g/L is adapted to each vintage.
Tasting Notes
Delicate and elegant. Its reserve wines bring rich round flavors that make it vibrant, fresh and generous. From the outset, Brut Premier affirms its personality and seduction: the texture is full and generous and, in a fairly unexpected way, integrates characteristics of maturity associated with fruitier and more refreshing notes. The wine has a fresh festive finesse. In the mouth, the wine has structure, richness and length. It is a full, complex wine that is both modern and powerful, whilst remaining a great classic.
Food Pairing
Brut Premier can be served for many occasions. It is ideal as an aperitif, thanks to its freshness and finesse, and as a splendid accompaniment to fine cuisine, thanks to its structure. Brut Premier pairs beautifully with langoustines or shellfish, honey and brioche, liver and white fruit (peaches and mirabelles), as well as terrine of foie gras with almond jelly.
Technical Information
Varietals: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier
Wine Alcohol: 12%
Dosage: Between 9 and 11 g/L is adapted to each vintage
Aging: Average period of three years