Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Rosé
Anderson Valley, California, United States
Vintage:2013 (Past)
2006 (Past) | 2009 (Past) | 2011 (Past) | 2012 (Past) | 2015 (Current)
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Reviews
Wine & Spirits
95 Points, Top 100 Wines of the Year
June 2022, Josh Greene
“The Roederer team in Champagne are rosé specialists, and they have brought their talents to bear on the fruit of their Anderson Valley estate, where Arnaud Weyrich makes this wine. It’s the sixth release since L’Ermitage Rosé was launched in 1999, a sparkler that gains its color from a small portion of pinot noir still wine, the grapes macerating through an extended cold soak, then finishing their fermentation off the skins to capture the fruit rather than the tannins. The 2013 is a mouthwatering wine, refreshingly brisk, integrating its delicate red fruit with savory-saline notes of green olive that add complexity. Graceful enough to enjoy on its own, it’s built as a wine for food—especially a main course, like lobster grilled in its shell.”
Wine Spectator
94 Points
April 2022, Tim Fish
“Graceful and vibrant, with detailed strawberry, quince and spiced cinnamon flavors that expand and take on richness on the long, crisp finish. Drink now.”
JamesSuckling.com
95 Points
April 2022, James Suckling
“This is primarily an excellent, light red wine, offering dried strawberries and herbs with stone and flint undertones. It’s full-bodied with tightness and layered mid-palate with an crisp, energetic finish. Fine bubbles at the end. 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir. Drink or hold.”
Wine Enthusiast
95 Points
March 2022, Jim Gordon
“A rich fruitiness and an intriguing savory, meaty quality lend rare complexity and interest to this light-copper-colored and creamy-textured wine. Flavors from dried apricot to raspberry to ginger light up the palate, while crisp acidity and an ultrafine bead of bubbles make a perfect texture.”
JancisRobinson.com
18/20 Points
January 28, 2022, Samantha Cole-Johnson
“Coppery color, intense mousse, toasty, spicy stemmy character not unlike the NV rosé. Chamomile, apricot, brioche and a kiss of strawberry on the finish.”
Overview
Founded in 1982, Roederer Estate is nestled in Mendocino County’s fog-shrouded, Anderson Valley. As the California property of Champagne Louis Roederer, Roederer Estate builds upon a centuries-old tradition of fine winemaking. The premium grape growing region's proximity to the ocean gives rise to a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing grapes to mature slowly on the vine and develop full varietal character.
L’Ermitage, Roederer Estate’s special tête de cuvée since 1989, is a sparkling wine made only in exceptional years from pre-selected, estate-grown grapes. Roederer Estate produces its sparkling wines in the French méthode traditionelle and adds special oak-aged reserve wines to each blend.
Winemaking
The concept of the vintage L’Ermitage is the same one that is used in Champagne: only the best of the vintage is selected. These are exceptional wines that create a “noble” blend that allows for longer aging, which produces a fine wine with elegance and finesse.
The rosé blend is crafted using a small fraction of red wine, from pinot noir grown on the estate, especially made for this purpose using Burgundian maceration technique that allows skin contact to extract color and aromas. This red wine brings delicate berry flavors and a nice color to further extend the L’Ermitage smoothness and subtleties, allowing for a unique tasting experience. About 3.5% of red wine of pinot noir was used in the blend.
The wine for the dosage used in the L’Ermitage Rosé was the 2013 wine liquor, aged for 7 years in a French oak cask. Following disgorgement, L’Ermitage was aged an additional 6 months (minimum) on the cork prior to release.
Tasting Notes
L’Ermitage Rosé brings complexity and smoothness to a higher level. The delicate salmon colors enhance the tiny bubbles and creamy mouthfeel. Aromas of candied cherries, candied quince, evolving to caramelized apple. There is creamy texture with a sense of richness. The texture is present but well integrated with the wrapped acidity.
Harvest Notes
The 2013 vintage was the first one of a series of drier than usual springs. There was little rain in spring but frost season was quite mild with harvest starting third week of August. It was a warmer year, closer to 2009 for reference, and yield in the vineyard was just above average. Maturities were good and acid levels somewhat lower than usual.
Technical Information
Varietals: 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir–3.9% is aged reserve wine from 2011
Residual Sugar: 8 g/L
Cases Produced: 482