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.

The story of Brut Nature began in 2003. This exceptionally sunny year revealed for the first time that certain vineyards in the heart of the Louis Roederer estate had remarkable potential. The clay hillsides of Cumières, Hautvillers and Vertus had no difficulty in resisting the heat and drought in the summer of 2003, producing intense and balanced grapes despite the weather. Moderate yields, a quick harvest and less racking due to the hot temperatures combined with fermentation in wooden casks led to the production of wines with incredible freshness. This prompted Roederer to carry out a series of bottling trials, fine-tuning the wines in 2003, 2004 and 2005, culminating in the selection of the 2006 vintage for the first Brut Nature creation. Produced solely from vineyards located on the Cumières terroir, these Pinot Noir grapes have such intense vinosity and exceptional maturity that no dosage is added to this cuvée. The champagne is also at a lower pressure of 4 atmospheres of pressure when typically most champagnes are at 6 atmospheres, this lighter fizz is all part of the techniques used by Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lacaillon to broaden the texture and soften the acidity.

The collaboration between Frédéric Rouzaud and French designer, Philippe Starck encouraged the Louis Roederer team to be innovative, leading to the creative design of the Brut Nature label. Louis Roederer Brut Nature Rose 2015 marks the second Rosé Brut Nature production of this unique cuvée. Lécaillon and his team picked the ripest Pinot Noir in Roederer's holdings in lieu-dit Les Chèvres a week before the rest of their fruit there, macerating it at low temperature for four to five days before adding some 20% of this Pinot Noir to the same base that produces the regular Brut Nature.

Weather: 2015 is remembered for its classic growth cycle. The particularly mild winter gave way to a varied spring with a period of freezing temperatures followed by intense heat. The vines reached full bloom at the usual times, during a sunny and dry month of June. It was a glorious summer with plenty of sunshine and little rain. The ripening of the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays was given a boost at the end of August by some long-awaited rainfall. The crops were harvested in mid-September under the cool autumnal skies, giving rise to elegant, fresh and fruity wines, worthy of labelling as true “classics”.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Premier Cru | Pinot Noir & Chardonnay: Cumières | La Rivière
Grape Varieties: 50% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, 13% Meunier
Disgorged: Spring 2022
Lees Ageing: 6 years
Wine in Oak: 11%
Malolactic Fermentation: 30%
Dosage: 0 g/l
Drink: Now to 5 Years +

Tasting Note: Delivering aromas of peach, clear honey, freshly baked bread and almond paste, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a rich, vinous profile, racy acids and a long, chalky finish. This has always been a structured wine, but in 2015, that structure is cloaked in more flesh and texture. - Tasted by William Kelley