Average rating 4.9/5 stars across all Google and external reviews
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Bought directly from Louis Roederer's UK agent MMD, the bottles are stored in bond at London City Bond Eton Park, in ideal conditions at a constant 13°C. For same-day deliveries, small quantities are kept in our office cellar, where the temperature is maintained between 11–13°C. We source all our bottles directly from the Maison or their official UK office, eliminating the risk of poor storage. This is crucial, as champagne quality is highly sensitive to heat: temperatures above 18°C accelerate maturity significantly, which compromises quality.
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.
All Louis Roederer vintage champagnes are made using grapes from their own estate. Fascinated by the aromatic diversity of Pinot Noir in Champagne, Louis Roederer use the structure and power of the Pinot Noir grapes from the Montagne de Reims to create their Brut Vintage blend. Exposed to the north-east, these vineyards produce grapes that mature much slower, thereby making wines that are sometimes rough and closed at the beginning of the ageing process. However, the character of the Pinot Noir intensifies and becomes more refined through long ageing in wood. It is the Pinot Noirs from the Grand Cru rated village of Verzenay in particular that give the champagnes their velvety, creamy and elegant palate.
The Chardonnay from the most east facing vineyards in Chouilly brings the richness and generosity to the champagne. Some of the wine (the percentage varies each year) is fermented in large oak tanks and once in the bottle, the champagnes ages on the lees for at least four years and is rested for six months after disgorgement to attain optimal maturity.
Weather: The 2002 vintage shaped up magnificently over the spring, with no significant frost and near-perfect flowering. Then followed a summer marked by long, sunny periods interspersed with regular cloudy and rainy spells. The vines were in good health and the dehydration of the grape berries helped them reach new heights of ripeness. Generally considered one of the best harvests in the last twenty years.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 90% Grand & Premier Cru
Grape Varieties: 66% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay
Ageing: 4 years on the lees
Dosage: 9 g/l
Drink: Now to 2030
Tasting Note: A stunning golden colour with a fine stream of bubbles, the bouquet is full of fresh fragrances and ripeness. Slightly toasty notes initially give way to more complex fruits and the dominance of Pinot Noir shines through. The extra ageing has given this champagne a lovely extra dimension which compliments the extraordinary flavours of the 2002 vintage.
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.
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.
Expert Reviews
18/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Disgorged 2008. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. Dosage 9 g/l. No malo. Lovely development and creaminess. Even a bit of richness – a real Pinot Noir year with lots of dry weather. Some mushroom notes already. Very savoury. Fabulous now! Drink 2014-2025”
16.5/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. Tasted blind. Deep gold. Burnished metallic notes – lots of evolution. Mouth-filling and broad but fully evolved. Bit chewy on the end. Sweet start. No great persistence though.”
18/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Tasted blind. Hint of green in the deep straw. Very pungent nose! Almost cordite – possibly an aroma that not everyone will love? Really good texture – not too frothy and with real grip. Made with confidence! Very good balance. Quite complex and very satisfying. Lemon-cream flavours. Extremely distinctive …”
93/100
Essi Avellan MW
“Elegantly smoky and toasty nose over peach and acacia fruit. Pure and fragrant. The smoky minerality continues on the focused and firm palate. Complex, soft, ripe fruity nose, not hugely expressive. Red and white fruit, refined spicy undetone and patisserie generosity. Wide, sumptuous palate, really sweet fruit. Tightly packed fruitiness with great potential. Classy with charm and power.”
A memorable evening at Louis Roederer earlier this year saw us taste the new vintage releases from 2013, preview Cristal 2012 and Cristal Rosé 2012, and sample the upcoming magnum launches from the Cristal Vinothèque programme. This one's not to be missed!
A fascinating article detailing the often too difficult task of discerning information about a specific bottle of non-vintage champagne was recently published by Jancis Robinson MW on her website. She argues in favour of producers making information more available.
Earlier this year, we tasted a range of 2018 vins clairs with winemakers at fifteen different houses in Champagne. Thanks to exceptional weather throughout the year, some have been calling it 'the vintage of the century' and expectations are already sky-high. But just how much potential does 2018 have?
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon recently presented a fascinating masterclass at 67 Pall Mall entitled 'Fighting for Freshness', in which he explained the challenges facing winemakers as they battle to cope with riper grapes and higher alcohol levels in a warming climate.
Not many are as excited as Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon about 2018s potential, a year he describes as having "the density of 2002 and the precision of 2008." During our visit, we also tasted the latest Cristal Vinothèque's and a mind-blowing pair of Cristal magnums.
Last week's Louis Roederer Cristal Vertical Tasting compared every vintage of Cristal produced this century, from 2000-2009. Guests also tasted the two latest vintages of Cristal Rosé, and Cristal 2006 from both bottle and magnum. Read the full write-up here.
Legendary Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon took us on a remarkable tour of the 2017 vintage, sharing trials on organic and biodynamic farming. We also tasted a mesmerising range of champagnes, including Cristal Vinothèque 1995.
Our Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage Champagne tasting with Jancis Robinson MW at 67 Pall Mall on Wednesday evening was a roaring success. Read our review, see the results and browse the pictures.
Is there a better way to spend a Sunday evening than dinner with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon at the Louis Roederer family mansion? We tasted new Cristal 2008 and the exclusive late-release Cristal Vinothèque 1995.
Jancis Robinson MW, accompanied by The Finest Bubble journeyed to Champagne at the end of August to visit nine champagne houses. Read her in depth report.
Last week, the Gold and Silver medal results for the 2017 CSWWC were announced. We discuss the noteworthy winners and exciting future releases entered and highlight the best performing Houses and vintages.
We compared fifteen 2008s (+ new Krug Grande Cuvée based on 2008) to assess the quality of this emerging vintage in champagne. For reference, we tasted five 2002s alongside - and threw in a couple of curveballs to keep everyone alert!
In the first of our Vins Clairs 2016 articles, we recount our visit to Louis Roederer to taste the 2016 base wines. Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon had a lot to say about both the present and the future...
An experience worthy of sharing, very recently I journeyed to France with Louis Roederer to explore the magnificent vineyards and all things Louis Roederer. Find out more
