2017 Louis Roederer Vintage Brut Rosé Half Bottle 375ml, Champagne

From the challenging 2017 vintage, a growing season plagued by severe spring frosts, a lackluster summer, and bouts of botrytis in the run-up to harvest, somehow comes the bright, breezy breath of fresh air! The 2017 Rosé Vintage is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from Roederer’s la Rivière estate. It reveals a very subtle salmon-pink color. Delicate scents of fresh raspberries, wild strawberries, and McIntosh apples languorously drift from the glass, followed by chalk dust and rose bud tea suggestions. The palate is understated and elegantly styled with a zippy line of freshness and tiny, persistent bubbles supporting the red berry and chalky layers, finishing with a quietly intense floral perfume. 29% was aged in oak, 24% went through malo-lactic, and it has 8 grams per liter of dosage, making for a very dry expression with great tension and finesse.

93 points thewineindependent.com

Louis Roederer is one of the most prestigious Champagne houses in the world, founded in 1776 in Reims, France. The estate is known for producing exceptional Champagnes, with a focus on quality and craftsmanship. The Vintage Brut Rosé is a testament to the house’s dedication to blending tradition with innovation. The grapes for this Champagne come from the estate’s own vineyards in the Montagne de Reims, where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive in the chalky soils. Louis Roederer’s expertise in blending and aging creates a Champagne that is elegant and complex.

A characteristic Roederer rosé: the concentration, fruitiness, and compactness of the Cumières Pinot noir grapes are transcended by the elegance, purity, and freshness of the finest Chardonnay grapes cultivated on the Côte des Blancs. »— Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master

The Vintage Brut Rosé is a beautifully balanced Champagne with a delicate salmon-pink hue. On the nose, it reveals aromas of red berries, citrus zest, and subtle floral notes. The palate is fresh and vibrant, with flavors of raspberry, strawberry, and a touch of blood orange, underpinned by refined minerality and toasty brioche notes. The fine, persistent bubbles and crisp acidity lead to a long, elegant finish, making it a perfect wine for special occasions or refined pairings with seafood and poultry.