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 Estates” 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 “Collection” allowing each years non-vintage blend to be identified and “re-engineering” 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.
In 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 freshness" 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 element" 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.
Weather: 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 — in some areas to just 10–20% 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.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru | 33% La Riviere | 33% La Montagne | 33% La Cote
Grape Varieties: 54% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir & 11% Meunier
Reserve Wines aged in oak: 10% from 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017
Perpetual reserve wines: 35% from 2012, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20
Lees Ageing: 3 years
Current base vintage: 2021 (55%)
Wines in oak: 24%
Disgorged: Jan 2025
Dosage: 7 g/l
Malolactic Fermentation: 30%
Drink: Now for 8+ years
Tasting 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.
Louis Roederer Collection 246 NV comes in lightweight antique-coloured bottles that filter out nearly 100 percent of light.
As the largest independent family-managed Champagne producer, Louis Roederer rank amongst the region's absolute finest. Established in 1776, the House is currently managed by seventh generation family member Frédéric Rouzaud alongside long-time Chef de Cave and Champagne legend Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. Today, Champagne Louis Roederer own an astounding 240 hectares of vineyards in the very best locations that cover two-thirds of their grape requirements and are pioneers in biodynamic farming, having converted a total of 50% of its holdings to accommodate production using biodynamic methods. Their portfolio begins with Brut Premier, one of Champagne's most seductive non-vintage cuvées and ends with Cristal, perhaps the world's most recognised prestige cuvée champagne.
Top quality grapes are the cornerstone of Roederer's style and account for their characteristic purity and elegance. Their portfolio begins with Brut Premier, one of Champagne's most seductive non-vintage cuvées and ends with Cristal, perhaps the world's most recognised prestige cuvée champagne. Created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, the iconic Cristal is the essence of Roederer, matched only in decadence and luxury by its pink equivalent, Cristal Rosé.
Cellar Master:
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
Winery Location: Reims | Champagne, France
Champagne Region:
Montagne de Reims
Annual Production (bottles): 3,000,000
Chef de Cave History at Champagne Louis Roederer:
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon 1999 - Current | Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon has been the Chef de Cave at Louis Roederer since 1999, making him one of the youngest to hold the position in Champagne. He joined the company in 1989 and has played a significant role in shaping the house's style and approach to winemaking, particularly in the area of organic and biodynamic practices. He was instrumental in the transition of Louis Roederer to biodynamic farming, which now covers a large portion of their vineyards. Lécaillon's background in viticulture and oenology from the École Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie in Montpellier, France, has been instrumental in his success. His work has had a significant impact on the renowned Cristal cuvée. Lécaillon's work at Roederer Estate in Tasmania and Anderson Valley, California, has provided him with a broad understanding of winemaking in different regions. Since taking the position, he has become the youngest Chef de Cave in Champagne.