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News
Wine Enthusiast - Roger Voss - December 31, 2012
93 Points #99 of "Wine Enthusiast 100" Best of the Year; "A structured, crisp and mineral-driven wine, this merely hints at raspberry flavors but is dedicated to a steely character. That suggests youth, and the wine, with its tense texture, could well age over several more years. For now, this is an impressive wine that demands pairing with food."
Wine & Spirits - Joshua Greene - December 2012
93 Points "The impact of this rosé’s freshness is immediate in the color, a light, copper-tinged pink refinement. ...fragrant woodland strawberry flavor, or the massive streak of acidity that will appeal most to geeks who realize the extremity of the structure makes this an unbeatable match for a soupe de poisson, or the pink flesh of grilled langoustines."
Wine Spectator - Alison Napjus - November 30, 2012
93 Points "Finely knit, with a delicate bead and racy acidity framing subtle flavors of ripe cherry, spiced plum and pink grapefruit zest, with hints of brioche and date. This is very focused, yet elegant, with a minerally finish."
International Wine Cellar - Josh Raynolds - November 2012
92 Points "Light orange-pink. Bright, energetic aromas of candied red fruits, orange zest and buttered toast, with a suave floral nuance gaining strength with air. Juicy, precise raspberry and cherry flavors show a light touch and are given spine by tangy acidity. Closes zesty and long, with lingering floral and spice notes."
The Wine Advocate - Antonio Galloni - November 2012
92 Points "Roederer’s 2007 Brut Vintage Rose is surprisingly fruit driven and forward in this vintage, despite its mid-weight, gracious personality. Layers of rich, creamy fruit and a totally inviting finish. With time in the glass, the 2007 turns increasingly more delicate, but ultimately it remains a wine to enjoy young for its exceptional balance and sheer delicio
Wine Description
The Story
In order for grapes to be used in the creation of a great rosé champagne, they have to attain perfect maturity, which is sometimes difficult to achieve in the changeable Champagne climate. This is why Louis Roederer decided to invest in the vineyards at Cumières, where the shallow calcareous clay soil, which is on south-facing slopes bathed in the light reflected from the banks of the river Marne, enables the grapes to attain optimum phenolic maturity.
A blend of around 65% Pinot noir and 35% Chardonnay, 20% of which is wine matured in oak tuns, the Rosé Vintage cuvée is generally matured on lees for 4 years and left for a minimum of 6 months after dégorgement (disgorging) to attain perfect maturity.
The wine has fruity aromas of wild red berries, followed by floral notes, and the sugary and spicy fragrance of zest; and the aromas of dried fruit and cocoa result from the wine’s vinifying in oak tuns. Rich and full-bodied, the Rosé Vintage exalts the maturity of the fruit. A sparkling wine with an initial impression of freshness, it opens smoothly with almost exotic notes, combined with the pure minerality of the Chardonnay grapes.
Wine Information
GRAPE HARVESTS:
2007 was a mostly warm year, characterised by unexpected and major weather events. Following an exceptionally mild autumn and winter, there was a “historic” month of April, with warm, dry summery weather, record temperature highs and sunshine worthy of a month of July!
To our great surprise, during the summer, the many stormy episodes in June, followed by particularly changeable, cool weather in July and August, caused steady, slow ripening of the grapes – particularly beneficial for the quality of our wines. Finally, the return to dry, windy and persistently cool weather from August 25 onwards completed the ripening process, allowing harvesting to begin in excellent conditions, with the late plots making the most of this meteorological godsend to become fully ripe. The harvests took place in ideal weather, beginning on August 27 for Marne Valley Pinots Noirs, August 30 for Côte des Blancs Chardonnays and August 31 for Reims mountain Pinots Noirs.
ORIGINS OF THE WINE:
A great Rosé champagne must be made from very ripe grapes – sometimes difficult to obtain in the Champagne climate. As a result, Louis Roederer has chosen to invest in one of the earliest Champagne crus, Cumières, for which the steeply-sloping, shallow clay and limestone soils face south and benefit from additional light reflected from the river Marne, enabling great phenolic maturity to be achieved. In these select terroirs, Louis Roederer applies the precision wine-making methods required to craft a saignée rosé.
STYLE:
Elegant, delicate fruitiness (red fruits), full-bodied and winy.
HOW IT IS CRAFTED:
66% Pinot noir – 34% Chardonnay – 20% wines matured in wood (oak barrels) with weekly batonnage – No malolactic fermentation. To make its rosé champagnes, Louis Roederer always uses the saignée method following cold skin-contact maceration, which may last 5 to 8 days in the liquid phase. The Brut Rosé cuvée ages for an average of 4 years in cellars and also spends 6 months resting after disgorging to complete the maturing process. The dosage is fine-tuned for each vintage, to between 8 and 10 g/l.
TASTING COMMENTS:
An evanescent light pink colour, with shiny salmony hints.
Delicate bubbles, which quickly form a steady, creamy flow.
The intense deep bouquet reveals a succession of finely complex aromatic “layers”: first of all fruity, almost tart aromas of wild raspberry and bilberry, reminiscent of a mountain fruit sabayon; next, sweet, warm, delicately rosy “pink macaroon” floral hints, along with pithy citrus, orange and pink grapefruit; finally, there are warm, sweet, spicy notes, recalling the subtle use made of oak wood by Louis Roederer: hints of lightly toasted dried fruits, cocoa and chocolate.
It has a lively bite in the mouth – full-bodied, creamy, dense and balanced: a “gourmet” treat! The tactile approach of the ripe Pinot Noir is very clear: rich and meaty, concentrated but not at all heavy, a combination of ripe fruit and precise, fresh flavours. The delicate, almost teasing bubbles add to this suave impression, which literally encompasses the sharp freshness. Following this first highly seductive contact, the “tight”, “sculpted” winy structure of the Pinot Noir appears once more, along with almost jam-like fruity, floral flavours, blending in perfectly with the minerality and freshness of the Chardonnays.
This concentrated yet fresh Rosé 2007, the product of August harvests, is a good example of “Roederer style” rosés with all the concentration, fruitiness and compactness of Pinot Noir de Cumières, transcended by the elegance, purity and freshness of great Côte des Blancs Chardonnays... Real Burgundy overtones in Champagne territory!
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
Vintage 2007
An unusually warm spring led to early flowering and initial optimism, which soon gave way to disappointment following one of the murkiest summers on record. Overall, 2007 was a difficult vintage saved by last-minute sunshine in late-August. Mildew and rot were the main culprits of the harvest, and the level of gluconic acid rocketed. The harvest began early, on August 24th, and was abundant in volume averaging 14,242 kg/ha. Pinot Meunier posed the biggest problems and Chardonnay clearly outperformed the rest. Many of the iconic prestige cuvée blanc de blancs were successfully produced, such as Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Ruinart Dom Ruinart, Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Louis and Salon Le Mesnil. Some blended prestige cuvées such as Louis Roederer Cristal and Philipponnat Clos des Goisses were also made. Champagnes from 2007 are typically high in acidity and restrainedly classic in style, but lack the spine and strength of the greatest harvest years. Even if the vintage only receives three stars, its best Chardonnays are well worth seeking and storing.
