Driven by a new ambition and freedom, Champagne Louis Roederer is writing the next chapter of its story with the creation of Collection. As the House practices a sustainable viticulture that respects the living environment in order to fully express the qualities of the terroir, it also anticipates future seasons while adapting to the present. As such, an uninhibited and bold approach was the only way Champagne Louis Roederer could take its perpetual quest for excellence to the next level—and create a worthy successor to Brut Premier. 

Each Collection is a change of gear, a new chapter in the Louis Roederer uncompromising pursuit of taste. Always unique, yet decidedly familiar!

Collection is based on a selection of plots located in the heart of the Champagne region that are suited to its identity and where the emphasis is on sustainable growing practices. True to its roots and terroirs, Roederer's historical origins are reflected in the blend:

• 1/3 "La Rivière" | Vallée de la Marne

• 1/3 "La Montagne" | Montagne de Reims

• 1/3 "La Côte" | Côte des Blancs

Collection 243 represents the Champagne House's 243rd blend since its foundation. It is based on the finest wines from the 2018 harvest (59%) and complemented by 31% of the Perpetual Reserve (2012-2017) and 10% of oak-aged reserve wines sourced from young Cristal vines (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).

26% of the wines undergo malolactic fermentation. 

Bright, golden hue with shimmering highlights. Fine, lively mousse with lingering threads of bubbles. The bouquet is open and rich yet also wonderfully fresh. It offers an explosion of ripe, delicate fruit with intense notes of yellow fruit (mirabelle plum) from the pinot noir complemented by sweet citrus fruits (lemon meringue pie) and delicate notes of white flowers (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.

Collection has all its warmth and generosity thanks to the perfect ripeness of the fruit harvested in the 2018 vintage, yet it is the freshness, energy and complexity of the 'Réserve Perpétuelle' created in 2012, as well as the texture imparted by the oak ageing, that extend and elongate the wines' body resulting in unrivalled finesse and persistence.

2018, the base vintage for Collection 243, was a warm, continental and truly unique vintage. Summer set many new records in terms of heat, drought and sunshine levels. The pinot noirs displayed a luxurious texture whilst the chardonnays were dense and saline where harvested at perfect ripeness and the Meuniers were intensely fruity. The harvests began on August 27th and ended on September 8th.