Wine Advisor
Louis Roederer, Brut Vintage 2004
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Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2004 Brut Vintage emerges from the glass with attractive layers of fruit that come together in a gorgeous expression of perfumed fruit. This silky, textured and totally finessed Champagne is another impeccable wine from Roederer. The 2004 growing season was long and yields were higher than normal, yet Roederer has achieved a wonderful balance in this wine. The 2004 Brut was made from the estate’s north-facing vineyards and 40% of the wine was aged in oak. This is Lot L032125A00017, disgorged in December 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016. This is another set of exceptional new releases from Roederer, one of the very few of the larger houses that captures the full potential of Champagne as an art of blended wine. Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon and his team have done a marvelous job with these Champagnes. Unfortunately, I was not able to taste the 2004 Cristal, which will be released in the spring of 2010. Lecaillon is also working on a new wine, a Brut Nature Champagne (equal parts Pinot and Chardonnay, and likely to be a vintage wine) which will also be released next spring. Readers who want to learn more about this historic house may want to take a look at my vertical of Cristal going back to 1979. Importer: Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Inc., Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 587-2000
About the Producer
When he inherited the Champagne House in 1833, the aesthete and entrepreneur Louis Roederer took a visionary approach to enriching his vines, aiming to master every stage of the wine’s creation. He forged the wine’s unique style, character, and taste. In the mid-nineteenth century, Louis Roederer acquired some of Champagne’s grand cru vineyards—an approach that contrasted sharply with contemporary practices.. While other Houses bought their grapes, Louis Roederer nurtured his vineyards, familiarized himself with the specific characteristics of each parcel, and methodically acquired the finest land. Louis Roederer’s guiding principle was that all great wine depends on the quality of the soil, a passion for tradition, and an astute vision of the future; the fame and reputation of the House of Louis Roederer was firmly established. His heir, Louis Roederer II was equally enlightened and adopted his father’s conscientious approach to the production of champagne, patrimonial estate management, and instinctive audacity.
