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Wine Description
The Story
It all began in 2003... this exceptionally sunny year, which was problematic for our northern vineyards, revealed—for the first time—certain vineyards with remarkable potential in the heart of the historic Champagne hillsides on the Louis Roederer estate.
THIS IS ABOUT THE REDISCOVERY OF A UNIQUE ESTATE... A VINEYARD CHOSEN BY THE SEVENTH GENERATION OF LOUIS ROEDERER!
Located in the heart of the calcareous clay soil hillsides of Cumières, Hautvillers, and Vertus, which are rich in hard, coarse sandstone, this ensemble of parcels had no difficulty in resisting the heat and drought in the summer of 2003. Better still, the vineyards produced aromatic, intense, and balanced grapes. The resulting wines, which were vini ed separately, parcel by parcel, are characterised by an optimal aromatic maturity, a creamy texture, and a vibrant freshness.
A convergence of several unusual factors produced the dense, almost astringent wines with an incredible freshness: moderate yields, a quick harvest, less racking due to the hot temperatures during the summer harvest in 2003, and an absence of chaptalization and malolactic fermentation, combined with fermentation uniquely in wooden casks.
This encouraged us to carry out a series of bottling trials. The wines were ne-tuned in 2003, 2004, and 2005, which culminated in the selection of the 2006 vintage.
Vintage 2012
The next most exceptional vintage since 2008. A truly difficult growing season saw severe frosts in the winter. March brought warmth but early budbreak made the vines vulnerable to spring frosts. Overall, the early growing season was wet, and mildew became a serious issue. However, conditions improved dramatically in the later summer months. An August heatwave resulted in a rapid accumulation of sugar, but fortunately the nights remained cool, which helped to preserve acidity. Although yields were low (averaging at 9,210 kg/ha) due to frost, hail and disease early in the season, the 2012 harvest was exemplary in its maturity, acidity and grape health. A rare high acid, high sugar September harvest with impeccable concentration of flavour and refreshing vibrancy. Pinot Noir is the superstar of the vintage, though Pinot Meunier excelled too. A vintage that promises great longevity for the finest cuvées, it was widely declared by producers. However, Krug decided to invest in its reserve wines on this great year, and no Vintage was produced. The quality of 2012 is universally high, with the greatest releases so far including Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Bollinger La Grande Année and La Grande Année Rosé, as well as Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé.
