Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs 2016

Product Information: This is pure Chardonnay grown on hillside plots in the Avize terroir in the heart of the “La Côte” estate. This champagne draws its strength from the intense chalkiness of these limestone soils which lend it its infinite freshness. The saline freshness of the limestone, produces a direct, austere, and luminous wine. The wine caresses with a powdery mineral texture. Magnificent, soft and even bubbles. Bouquet of white flowers (jasmine, orange blossom), citrus zest (lemon) and wheat complemented by an impression of iodine freshness, sea spray, sea breeze and powdered chalk. The palate is creamy and caressing, revealing softness and finesse; coated velvet-like textures that quickly give way to fresh, marine, powdery and concentrated sensations. The finish is smooth, saline and stretches out like rays of sunshine. Dry finish, vibrant acid. The wine is raised in stainless steel and 28% in oak, no malolactic fermentation. The 2016 Blanc de Blancs Vintage cuvée is generally matured on lees for five years and left for a minimum of 6 months after disgorgement (7g/l) to attain perfect maturity. Maker: Louis Roederer is a highly respected Champagne producer located in the historic city of Reims. The renowned Champagne house, founded in the late 1700s, is still owned and operated by the Roederer family. Their signature style consists of an equal blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a touch of Pinot Meunier, which comprises approximately one-fifth of the blend. Louis Roederer’s most famous wine is Cristal, a prestigious Champagne that has captured the hearts of wine enthusiasts worldwide. The house was founded in 1833 and aimed to capture foreign markets, particularly Russia. Roederer became the wine of choice for the Russian royal family, and Cristal was created for Tsar Alexander II. Louis Roederer acquired grand cru vineyards in Champagne in 1845, which was unusual for the time as most houses were buying grapes from growers. Today, the Roederer vineyards encompass around 240 hectares of land, with around 25% managed biodynamically. This commitment to sustainable farming practices is a testament to the house’s dedication to producing high-quality wines that are both delicious and environmentally responsible. The Vineyard: This Blanc de Blancs 2016 reveals the lovely hallmark signature of Avize’s white soils, able to achieve that rare Chardonnay balance of energy, power and finesse. Delicious! says cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. The 2016 season was characterised by particularly marked weather variations: spring was cool, wet and relatively late whereas summer was warm and dry with a heatwave in late August followed by dry and sunny weather over the harvest period which was highly beneficial to the ripening of the grapes. The Pinot noirs thrived in these dry, sunny conditions and the heat has given them an intensely fruity character and silky smooth texture. The Chardonnays are just as outstanding although more chiselled and saline in character. Harvests took place from 15 September to 1 October 2016. Nose – Dried herbs, Jasmine, Toasted Nuts Bouquet of straw, dried herbs and dried flowers, hints of chamomile, toasted nuts in the background—subtly complex Palate – Creamy, Marine, Stony Minerals The palate is creamy and caressing, revealing softness and finesse; coated velvet-like textures that quickly give way to fresh, marine, powdery and concentrated sensations. Finish – Enlivening, Sea Spray, Pastry Buttery pastry and fresh lemon juice combined to leave a lingering and moreish finish. Light-mid yellow with golden reflections and a bouquet of straw, dried herbs and dried flowers, hints of chamomile, toasted nuts in the background—subtly complex. The wine really comes into its own in the mouth, where the citrus/lemon flavours and acidity drive a very long palate which is dry and appetising, not austere but refreshing and enlivening. Intensity, tension and drive without austerity: nothing out of place. A superb blanc de blancs. – Huon Hooke, The Real Review, 97 Points. A curious little baby of a Blanc de Blancs, awash with stony minerality and a prickle of herbaceousness, one would think this would be incredibly austere. However, the five years on lees gives this wine such a smooth base to work from all warm, buttery pastry and fresh lemon juice combined to leave a lingering and moreish finish. This is a well-structured and pretty Blanc de Blancs, sourced from the Côte vineyards in Avize, precise and delicious now, this will definitely reward you for careful cellaring. If you have an opportunity to buy a few and open them every few years, I think it would be a curious and tasty exploration of maturation. – Curly Haslam-Coates, Wine Front, 94 Points. The