Champagne Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs Vintage
Champagne, France
Vintage:2015 (Past)
2016 (Current) | 2017 (Pending)
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Reviews
Decanter 95 Points
“A wine that was reserved for enjoyment at the end of the family hunt from its inception in 1930 until commercialisation in 1950, this is made at a slightly lowerpressure than the other Champagnes in the Roederer stable at 4 bar giving a creamier mousse. Grapes come from four plots in Avize with two in the centre and one on the border of Cramant and Ogier. Designed to be consumed as an aperitif wine when young, the Blanc de Blancs epitomises freshness and delicacy. Lively and elegant on the nose and palate, with a long mineral streak from start to finish. Sharp and thrilling, intense with lemon pastry flavours and a creamy round mouthfeel. Straight yet wide, rich but lean, direct yet juicy, this really offers a complex and very individual style that captivates from the first sip. Delicious.”
Vinous Media 94 Points
“The 2015 Blanc de Blancs is a fabulous choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so. Soft and creamy, the 2015 is immediately caressing in its embrace. Citrus confit, white flowers, spice and a hint of pastry all meld together. There is something effortless about the 2015 that is hard to describe. The 2015 is not the last word in complexity, but it is supremely delicious. Terrific for the year. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.”
Overview
From 1830 onwards, the House of Louis Roederer acquired extensive knowledge of the Champagne terroirs, began experimenting with plot-by-plot vinification, and mastered the art of delicate effervescence. It is in the heart of the famous Côte des Blancs, specifically in the Grand Cru estate vineyards of "La Côte" in Avize, where Louis Roederer sources its Chardonnay grapes. These grapes attain optimal maturity on the calcareous soils, enabling the House to produce taut, highly aromatic wines with ethereal finesse.
Winemaking
The Blanc de Blancs 2015 cuvée was drawn off at low pressure in order to create a rounder and smoother effervescence. 16% of the wine was vinified in oak casks. Bottle-aged for 5 years and then left to rest for a further 8 months after disgorging to attain the perfect maturity. The dosage is 8 g/l.
Tasting Notes
Bright yellow hue with slightly green tints and bubbles that are soft, creamy, fine and delicate. The bouquet is precise and mineral with notes of ripe citrus fruit and white, almost vanilla-like blossoms (pollen) and notes of freshly harvested wheat and almonds. The freshness of the bouquet comes through in the form of minty and iodised aromas (sea spray) which slowly evolve towards warmer notes of smoke, hot butter and toast. The palate is creamy and soft yet concentrated on entry. The wine, underpinned by the delicate bubbles, unfolds majestically. It offers us the sensation of ripe, concentrated juice carried by an incredibly powdery texture with a distinctly saline finish. Oaky and smoky notes continue to draw out the wine, giving it extra length and concentration, an indication of its exceptional cellar-ageing potential. The finish is pure, refreshing and mouthwatering.
Harvest Notes
An extraordinary vintage which is also the year in which the Champagne region was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site! 2015 followed the continental trend of that decade: a mild, wet winter and a hot, dry summer. The summer, hot and sunny, brought record-breaking temperatures and water stress. The second half of August brought some very welcome rain, giving the vines some much needed relief. Thanks to this fresh finish, the vines produced juicy, ripe and concentrated grapes. Our ambition for this vintage? To capture the concentration which is the hallmark of this spectacular vintage!
Technical Information
Varietals: 100% Chardonnay
Dosage: 8 g/L