Roederer Estate L’Ermitage: A Complete Retrospective

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JUNE 6, 2025

This complete retrospective of Roederer Estate’s L’Ermitage, the first of its kind, was illuminating on so many fronts. Most importantly, it proved that Anderson Valley is exceptionally well suited to the production of fine, world-class sparkling wine. I was also deeply impressed with how well the wines age. I had tasted L’Ermitage from time to time but not on a consistent basis; many of these vintages were new to me. I tasted this vertical with longtime Winemaker Arnaud Weyrich and President Nicole Carter during a visit to the property in January 2025.

The first complete retrospective of L’Ermitage.

Giant Steps

The Rouzaud family built their early reputation with Champagne Louis Roederer, the estate that is now operated by the seventh generation of the Rouzaud family. In the early 1980s, Jean-Claude Rouzaud, then at the helm representing the sixth generation, decided to make the family’s first investments outside Champagne, as the cost of land at home was becoming prohibitive. His first venture was in Tasmania, where he sent a very young Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, now the Chef de Cave at Champagne Louis Roederer. Ultimately, physical and time zone differences proved too much to overcome, and Rouzaud exited his investment.

California was the next destination. Moët & Chandon had founded Domaine Chandon in 1973, but Rouzaud believed land in Carneros was too expensive. After some exploration, Rouzaud settled on Anderson Valley. Here, he found a region defined by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, with a cool microclimate and rolling fog that resulted in cycles of warming and cooling ideal for ripening fruit while maintaining vibrant acidity. Land was readily available, inexpensive and largely unplanted, which allowed for full control over selection of plant density, clones, rootstocks and other variables.

Jean-Claude Rouzaud was a pioneer. These were very early days for Anderson Valley. Commercial winemaking began here in the early 1900s. By the 1960s, there were a few wineries in the region. Anderson Valley, which now spans 2,500 hectares, was recognized as an AVA (American Viticultural Area) in 1983. Even today, Anderson Valley feels quite remote, especially compared to other regions in Northern California. There are only a few tasting rooms for the inquisitive oenophile to explore. Many of the best Anderson Valley wines, especially still Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, are made by producers based in nearby Sonoma County.

Rouzaud bought his first property, the Carney Vineyard, on the east side of the valley in 1982 and founded Roederer Estate. At the time, the site was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Gewürztraminer. Rouzaud grafted the vines over with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. By 1989, Roederer Estate had grown their footprint to 340 acres of vineyards. Today, Roederer Estate owns and farms 620 acres divided into seven major ranches, equivalent to 25% of the Anderson Valley AVA. The Rouzaud family’s Roederer Collection now includes 12 wineries (five of them in California), including Pichon Comtesse, Domaines Ott, Ramos Pinto, Merry Edwards and Diamond Creek.