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Arguably the most reliable non-vintage champagne of them all, made by one of the very last family-owned large houses with their own grapes...Of the well-known, so-called grandes marques of champagne (no longer an official title), Bollinger, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and Veuve Clicquot all carry a premium. But heavy Bollinger can be awkwardly angular when young, racy Pol Roger can also need a little bottle age to show its best and variable Veuve Clicquot can be downright disappointing in my view. But I have yet to experience a bottle of Louis Roederer Brut Premier that did not taste deliciously superior and ready to drink. www.jancisrobinson.com
Louis Roederer Bruit Premier NV is a perennial favourite of mine – I love its biscuity character, its backbone and structure, which are more impressive than in virtually any other NV. But I do prefer to stash newly bought bottles away for at least a couple of years because it is an NV which really fills out, softens and complexes in a most rewarding way with just a little extra ''on cork'' maturation. Huon Hooke, SMH Good Living
Champagne Louis Roederer, founded in 1776, remains one of the very rare family Champagne businesses. For two centuries, six succeeding generations have been inspired by the same concern for quality. Frederic Rouzaud took up the reins in early 2006 from his father Jean-Claude Rouzaud who remains Chairman of the Board. Jean-Claude, grandson of Madame Camille Olry-Roederer and himself a trained Oenologist had led the company for 38 years, and is referred to as the ‘Sage’ of Champagne (the wise man of Champagne).
Frederic has spent the past 10 years working with his father in all areas of production and business and will bring his great business acumen and academic background to the company. Louis Roederer is unique in Champagne owning two-thirds of the vineyards for their total production covering the Pinot Noir sub regions of “Montagne de Reims” and “Vallee de la Marne” with Chardonnay from the “Cotes des Blanc”. By 1995, recent acquisitions had increased Louis Roederer's holding from 180 hectares to almost 190 hectares, ranking 97.5% on the offi cial classifi cation scale.
Region: Champagne
