Louis Roederer is a producer of champagne based in Reims, France. Founded in 1776, the business was inherited and renamed by Louis Roederer in 1833. It remains as one of the few independent and family-run maisons de champagne (champagne houses). Over 3.5 million bottles of Louis Roederer champagne are shipped each year to more than 100 countries.
History
Initially founded as Dubois Père & Fils in 1776, Louis Roederer inherited the company from his uncle in 1833, renamed it eponymously, and set out to target markets abroad. With concentrated efforts in several countries, including Russia. Tsar Nicholas II nominated Louis Roederer as the official wine supplier to the Imperial Court of Russia. Though the Russian Revolution and U.S. prohibition caused financial difficulties during the early 20th century, Roederer was re-established as a leading Grandes Marques producer and remains in descendants Rouzaud ownership. Cristal is a precursor prestige cuvée brand and was made commercially available in 1945.[1] Former officers and generals of the Russian Imperial Army in exile, in Paris, continued to drink this champagne.
Family company
Louis Roederer remains one of the few family-owned independent companies run by real wine specialists. The stock ration in Louis Roederer's cellars represents between four and five years' sales.
Production
From a vineyard area of 240 ha, Louis Roederer produces two thirds of the grapes needed for its production, sourcing the remaining required fruit from established farming contacts.
The vintage cuvées include the Vintage, Rosé Vintage, with Pinot noir and Chardonnay in an approximately 7:3 proportion, and the 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs. The prestige cuvée Cristal, is a blend of around 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot noir. This prestige cuvée is also available as a rosé, which contains around 55% Pinot noir and 45% Chardonnay. Both Rosé Vintage and Cristal Rosé wines are made using the saignée method.[2]
The total annual production of Roederer is approximately 3.5 million bottles, of which 70–80% is Louis Roederer Brut Premier.[3]
The wines
Non-vintage
Brut Premier
Brut Premier is a non-vintage Champagne combining at least four vintage wines in a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier, the three main grape varieties allowed in the composition of Champagne, coming from more than fifty different crus. The inclusion of reserve wines (approximately 20%) matured in oak casks for several years gives the complexity and roundness characteristic of Louis Roederer's champagnes.[4] It is aged for three years in Louis Roederer's cellars and left for six months after dégorgement (disgorging).[4] The dosage (residual sugar) is 9g/L.[5]
Carte Blanche
Acquisitions
The Roederer portfolio also holds Bordeaux estates Château de Pez and Château Haut-Beausejour in Saint Estèphe.[10] In late 2006, the Rouzaud family acquired majority share in the second-growth estate Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The deal also included the Cru Bourgeois estate Château Bernadotte.[11]
Also included in the Roederer Group are Champagne Deutz, Ramos Pinto Port in Portugal, Domaines Ott in Provence, Roederer Estate, Scharffenberger Cellars, Merry Edwards Winery, Domaine Anderson, and Diamond Creek Vineyards in California.
Vineyards
The 240 hectares of Louis Roederer's vineyards are distributed across the three main Champagne growing zones, the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne, and the Côte des Blancs.
Winemaking
Every year, about 600 people are employed to pick the grapes in the Louis Roederer vineyards. The vintage lasts for ten to fifteen days. Tractors transport the grapes in 50 kg baskets from the vineyards to Louis Roederer's own press-houses in the heart of the vineyards. The musts obtained from the pressing are then transported to Louis Roederer's cellars in Reims. Upon arrival in Reims the musts are delivered either into small stainless steel tanks or into oak vats, no bigger than the equivalent of one to two hectares of vineyards, and there they begin their fermentation. The characteristics and qualities of each plot are thus preserved right up to the blending stage. In winter, each wine is tasted by the Cellar Master and his team of oenologists prior to blending and bottling in the spring.
Reserve wines
Champagne is a blend of wines from different locations. Thanks to its vineyards, Louis Roederer has a stock of wines from which to create its cuvées. Not all of these wines are used immediately. Some are set aside to age in large oak casks in the reserve wine cellar; later they will either be included in blends of Louis Roederer's Brut Premier champagne to ensure quality, or be used for the dosage in the liqueur d'expédition. The reserve wines destined for the liqueur d'expédition are selected from the best wines from each vintage. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines from eight to ten different crus are blended together and matured in oak vats for up to ten years. The reserve wine cellar contains several thousand liters of reserve wines.
External links
See also
- List of Champagne houses
- Veblen goods
References
- Stevenson, Tom, Decanter (December 2007). "The Best a Man Can Get...."^
- Chris, thewinedoctor.com Kissack. Roederer retrieved 2008-04-30^
- Tom, Dagens Næringsliv Marthinsen. Superelegant kjendis-champagne April 28, 2008, retrieved April 30, 2008^