Wine Advisor
Louis Roederer, Brut Vintage 2006
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: David Schildknecht
Orange zest, bruised apple skin, coriander seed, and hedge flowers rise from the glass of Roederer 2006 Brut Vintage, a 70-30 Pinot-Chardonnay blend a third of which was aged in cask with weekly lees-stirring. The palate impression here is at once richly expansive and tactilely pungent, with apple and peach fruit sappy and ripe but prominently marked by the piquancy of pips and pit. A roughly ten gram dosage emphasizes the impression of fresh ripe apple in a long, juicy finish, if with a result that some may find a tad divisively sweet-tart. It would certainly be interesting to follow bottles for a couple of years to see whether further depth emerges. Owners of vast vineyards (totaling some 500 acres) that supply the majority of their fruit, Roederer also presides—by design as well as due to that vastness—over a mind-bending number of micro-vinifications, divided entirely between tanks and foudres, supplemented by a concomitantly deep and diverse range of reserve wines. But for all of the variety that these phenomena entail, scarcely any lots undergo malolactic transformation. Importer: Maisons, Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland CA; tel. (510) 587-2000
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2006 Brut Vintage literally jumps from the glass with rich layers of deep, resonant fruit. A big, broad-shouldered wine, the 2006 impresses for its sheer volume and size, but at the same time it retains the characteristic Roederer finesse. The elegant and sheer polish of the finish is more than enough to make it impossible to resist a second taste. This is an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous wine from Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon and his team. The 2006 is mostly Pinot from the north-facing Verzenay, which gives the wine much of its tension and sheer energy. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026. Roederer fans will find plenty of delicious wines in this lineup. Best of all, many of the best wines this year won’t break the bank. Unfortunately I did not taste Roederer’s NV wines, as the house does not list disgorgement dates or base vintages on their labels. Still, there are few estates in Champagne that are so consistently outstanding across their entire range. Importer: Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Inc., Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 587-2000
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Orange zest, bruised apple skin, coriander seed, and hedge flowers rise from the glass of Roederer 2006 Brut Vintage, a 70-30 Pinot-Chardonnay blend a third of which was aged in cask with weekly lees-stirring. The palate impression here is at once richly expansive and tactilely pungent, with apple and peach fruit sappy and ripe but prominently marked by the piquancy of pips and pit. A roughly ten gram dosage emphasizes the impression of fresh ripe apple in a long, juicy finish, if with a result that some may find a tad divisively sweet-tart. It would certainly be interesting to follow bottles for a couple of years to see whether further depth emerges. Owners of vast vineyards (totaling some 500 acres) that supply the majority of their fruit, Roederer also presides—by design as well as due to that vastness—over a mind-bending number of micro-vinifications, divided entirely between tanks and foudres, supplemented by a concomitantly deep and diverse range of reserve wines. But for all of the variety that these phenomena entail, scarcely any lots undergo malolactic transformation. Importer: Maisons, Marques & Domaines USA, 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.
