Champagne Louis Roederer Collection 242 NV (Gift Box)

Description

Founded in 1776, and property of the same family since 1819, Champagne Louis Roederer is today one of the last major Champagne houses to be an independent family affair. The annual production of its wines (Collection, Carte Blanche, Brut Vintage, Rosé Vintage, Blanc de Blancs, Cristal, Cristal Rosé) represents just over three million bottles, distributed to 100 countries worldwide. Champagne Louis Roederer owns just over 240 hectares of vineyard located in the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. Each vineyard is situated in the finest site, of which 90% are Grand Cru and Premier Cru classified. The house uses 100% of its own grapes for vintage styles, and 60% for the Collection blend. Such a high proportion of estate-grown grapes is unusual in Champagne, ensuring superior quality at all stages from grape to glass. 5% of the wines are matured in oak casks with weekly batonnage. 10% of the reserve wines are matured in casks with partial malolactic fermentation.

The Collection 242 blend was introduced in 2021 to replace Roederer Brut Premier. Created in response to the warming climate and reflecting Roederer’s innovative spirit and pursuit of excellence. The house started to create a perpetual reserve in 2012 from vineyard parcels which produce base wines with low pH (high acidity) and high extract to maintain and enhance freshness and salinity in the face of climate change and ever more mature grapes. 

The Collection 242 blend is dominated by Chardonnay which was of exceptional quality in the 2017 vintage. But considering this is made up of 34% perpetual reserve plus another 12% oak reserves this is not based on the last vintage as for most non-vintage blends, but much older wines. It was then aged for three years on its lees, and an extra year in bottle before release.

This debut release is very impressive indeed, wafting from the glass with notes of pear, peach, ripe citrus fruit, toasted almonds, fresh pastry and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and textural, it's concentrated and layered, with lively acids, an enlivening pinpoint mousse and a long, sapid finish. Brut Premier was already a very persuasive wine, but the new Brut Collection nevertheless represents a step up. 93pts, William Kelley, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate