Roederer’s
2009 Vins Claires

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Chouilly 

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Vertus

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Oger

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Avize

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Cramant

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Mesnil (first harvest)

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Mesnil (second harvest)

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Avize (fermented in steel)

2009
Roederer Chardonnay Avize (fermented in oak)

2009
Roederer Pinot Meunier Venteuil

2009
Roederer Pinot Meunier Reuil

2009
Roederer Pinot Meunier Villedommange

2009
Roederer Pinot Meunier Chamery

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Aÿ

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Hautvillers

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Cumières

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (conventional yields)

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (lower yields)

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Bouzy (conventionally farmed)

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Bouzy (biodynamically farmed)

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Verzy

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Verzenay&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Verzenay (conventionally farmed)

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Verzenay (biodynamically farmed)

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Verzy (fermented in steel)

2009
Roederer Pinot Noir Verzy (fermented in oak)

NV
&nbsp;&nbsp;Roederer Brut Premier (2009 blend)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (90-92)

2009
Roederer Rosé Vintage&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (89-91)

2009
Roederer Cristal &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (94-96)

2009
Roederer Cristal Rosé&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (94-96)

2004
Roederer Cristal &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 96

2004
Roederer Cristal Rosé (magnum)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 94

Timing
is everything, and fortunately my visit to Roederer turned out to be very well-timed.
Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon prepared an incredible tasting of the
estate’s 2009 vins claires that
provided a rare glimpse into the base wines that make up the house’s top
bottlings. I also had a chance to taste several of the just-bottled 2009s in
their final blends and the 2004 Cristal and Cristal Rosé, both of which are
scheduled to be released later this year.

The
mood was quite somber when I visited Champagne this year. A number of the large
houses were crippled by a union strikes staged to protest the drastic reduction
in the year-end bonuses workers have become accustomed to receiving. These
bonuses are tied to financial performance of the houses, so it is little
surprise payments were down drastically from the previous year. There was also
a large debate as to whether houses would declare 2009 as a Vintage year. It
was clear business decisions would ultimately play just as important a role as
quality given the massive slowdown in sales around the world.

Against
this backdrop, I sat down with Lecaillon to taste through a number of vins claires plus a few finished wines
from bottle. The wines were arranged in several flights, each designed to focus
on one or more of the aspects that makes Champagne so fascinating. Terroir, the role of yields,
vinification in steel as compared to oak, and conventional versus biodynamic
farming were some of the topics these flights addressed. It was one of the most
fascinating and instructive tastings I have ever done. I have not provided
ratings for vins claires as the wines
are true infants at this stage, but overall I was very impressed with the
quality of what I tasted across the board. The wines show an attractive
combination of ripeness, acidity and structure with plenty of site-specific
character and in some cases, quite a bit of plumpness as well. I scored the
2009s from bottle in ranges, as these wines are also unfinished given that they
need to age several years in bottle before they are disgorged and receive their
dosage. I do provide scores for the 2004s, which are fully finished wines.&nbsp;

Roederer
makes three lines of Champagne. The NV Brut Premier and Vintage Blanc de Blancs
constitute the entry-level at Roederer, although the truth is that these wines
are of such a consistently high level that they regularly outperform other
wines in the same categories. The Brut Premier is the only wine in the range
that contains Pinot Meunier and also the only wine where part of the juice
undergoes malolactic fermentation, both employed to give roundness, softness
and early accessibility. Roederer’s reserve wines are enough for well over 1 million
bottles and span a number of years. The Brut Premier typically includes 30% or
so reserve wines going back six to seven vintages.

The
Vintage and Vintage Rosé are also reliably outstanding. The Vintage is
typically 70% Pinot from Verzy and Verzenay and 30% Chardonnay . The Vintage Rosé
is 70% Pinot from Cumières and
30% Chardonnay from several villages in the Côtes des Blancs. Lecaillon favors
Pinot vineyards with a northern exposure as he feels wines from due south vineyards
can be excessively heavy and ponderous. Richness in the Pinots is achieved
through Draconian yields that are typically half of those the estate works with
in their Chardonnay vineyards.

The top of the line Cristal and Cristal Rosé are two of
my favorite Champagnes. Sometimes maligned for their relatively early release
and a dosage that is on the higher side, the reality is that both Cristal and
Cristal Rosé have a fabulous track record of aging spectacularly well in
bottle. My impression is that the vast majority of Cristal and Cristal Rosé is
drunk far, far too young. At a recent comprehensive tasting of the 1996s,
Cristal and Cristal Rosé were both nothing short of extraordinary. I have
rarely been disappointed by older vintages. Cristal is typically 60% Pinot Noir
and 40% Chardonnay from a variety of grand cru villages, while Cristal Rosé is
typically 70% Pinot from Aÿ and 30% Chardonnay from Avize and
Mesnil. Much of the base wines for Cristal and Cristal Rosé increasingly come
from biodynamically farmed vineyards, with the juice fermented in oak vats
rather than steel, and with no malolactic fermentation. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372393806328-Map+roederer+vinous.jpg"> 

Flight # 1 – Chardonnay,
Part 1

This
first flight covered a number of Chardonnays, all vinified without malolactic
fermentation. The Chardonnay from Chouilly was wiry, with gorgeous length
and a focused finish. It is easy to see why this wine was used for the Brut
Premier. The Chardonnay from Vertus was a touch riper and rounder
than the Chouilly, with gorgeous, well-delineated aromatics. This juice was
used for the 2009 Vintage. The Chardonnay
from Oger was also used for the
Vintage. On its own it was a less interesting wine. It came across as
excessively heavy and lacking vibrancy. According to Lecaillon this parcel was
harvested a touch later than he would have liked. &nbsp;

The
Chardonnay from Avize was simply fantastic. The bouquet was beautifully expressive,
but the wine really came to life on the palate, where it literally exploded
with flavor. The fruit was very ripe and almost tropical, but precise, mineral
notes framed the finish nicely. This fabulous wine was used for Cristal. The Chardonnay from Cramant was very good but not great. It was a classic blending
wine, with chief attributes of balance and harmony rather than true character.
This was used for the Brut Premier.

Flight #2 – Chardonnay,
Part 2

Le
Mesnil is one of the most hallowed places in all of Champagne. I tasted two
wines from the same vineyard in Mesnil
but picked ten days apart. The first Chardonnay
was crisp and nicely detailed. I found it gorgeous but not explosive. The second wine, from fruit picked in late
September, showed far greater richness, weight and aromatic complexity, all of
which qualified it for inclusion in Cristal. According to Lecaillon, as harvest
time approached sugar levels looked good but the aromatics weren’t fully
developed so he opted to pick the parcel in two separate passes. The resulting
wines are strikingly different.

Avize
is another of Champagne’s grand cru villages. This pair of wines provided a
fascinating contrast. The first Chardonnay
was fermented in steel. Focus, drive and minerality were the key qualities in
this pretty wine that was used for the Brut Premier. The Chardonnay aged in oak
was seductive and rich yet beautifully nuanced. The detail here was striking.
This second Avize Chardonnay was
used for Cristal. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372393897410-decanters+roederer+vinous.jpg"> 

Flight #3 Pinot Meunier

Pinot Meunier
is the classic blending grape in Champagne and plays a large role in many
non-vintage wines. Meunier contributes fruit and roundness, but the wines
seldom have any real personality of their own. The first three samples did not
undergo malolactic fermentation. The Meunier from a south-facing plot in Venteuil showed lovely richness in a
juicy style. A sample from Reuil was
a touch leaner and more focused then the Venteuil. The Meunier from Villedommange was good, but not
particularly interesting on its own. The Meunier from Chamery was all about texture and roundness, much of which was
achieved through malolactic fermentation. These pretty, up-front wines were all
used in the Brut Premier, the only wine at Roederer that employs Meunier.

Flight #4 – Marne Valley
Pinot Noirs

All
of the wines in Flight #4 were Marne Valley Pinots with no malolactic
fermentation. Roederer favors north-facing sites for Pinot, which help preserve
freshness and minerality. The estate does not own or source fruit from south-facing-vineyards
in Bouzy or Ambonnay as the feeling is that those areas yield wines that are
too ripe.

My
favorite was the Pinot from Aÿ, which was massive, powerful and
weighty. Most of the juice was used for the 2009 Vintage. A sample from Hautvillers was explosive and
full-bodied, but perhaps a touch overripe. This wine was also used for the 2009
Vintage. The Pinot from Cumières, destined
for the Brut Premier, was wonderfully taut in its mineral-laced fruit.

Flight #5 – Pinot Noir
from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ

These
two Pinots from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ showed the importance of yields. The first wine was made from vines cropped
at 14,000 kilos per hectare. It was a wiry Pinot with elements of
herbaceousness and unpolished tannins. This lot was used for the Brut Premier.
A second Pinot was made from vines
cropped at 10,000 kilos per hectare, which made a huge difference. Here the fruit
was soft, seamless and beautifully ripe, with precise nuanced aromatics and no
hard edges. In other words, perfect for Cristal.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372393973221-Barrels+-+roederer+vinous.jpg"> 

Flight #6 – Pinot Noir
from Bouzy, Verzy and Verzenay

Two
samples of purchased Bouzy Pinot Noir
were fascinating as they came from a vineyard divided into two parcels; one
farmed conventionally the other biodynamically. The wine from the conventionally farmed vineyard showed
fabulous length, minerality and intensity, while the sample from the biodynamically farmed parcel was more
mineral-driven and perhaps a touch leaner but also wonderful. The two wines
clearly had different attributes although it was hard to say which was the
better or more complex wine.

Two
Pinots used for the 2009 Cristal were both fabulous. I loved the Pinot from Verzy, which was round, seamless and powerful, with plenty of
underlying structure. The Verzenay Pinot
was rich and deep, with a baritone register to the fruit that recalled the
Burgundies of Gevrey. Both of these magnificent Pinots came from estate-owned
vineyards.

Flight #7 – Pinot Noir
from Verzenay and Verzy

The
conventional-biodynamic comparison was examined again through the lens of two Pinots from Verzenay cropped to identical yields of 13,000 kilos per hectare.
There was a laser like intensity from the conventionally-farmed Pinot from Verzenay used in the Brut Premier. A second Verzenay Pinot, farmed biodynamically, was ample and broad-shouldered,
with tons of fruit that melded seamlessly into the minerality and acidity. This
was a beautiful wine perfect for Cristal.

Pinot
from Verzy fermented in steel
revealed red berries and flowers with plenty of intensity and drive. It was
excellent, but not outstanding. This lot was used for the 2009 Vintage. A
second Pinot also from Verzy, but here fermented in oak, was
rich, sensual and beautifully layered, with sublime intensity and raciness. Not
surprisingly, this was used for Cristal. I was struck by how different these
two wines were.

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372393944369-Wine+-+roederer+vinous.jpg"> 

Flight # 8 – 2009 Final
Blends

The
2009s were being assembled and bottled during my visit. The NV Brut Premier (2009 blend) is 40%
Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, with the addition of 30% reserve
wines spanning six vintages.&nbsp; This shows
lovely balance in a rich, round style I find highly appealing. The Brut Premier
looks very promising at this stage. The 2009
Rosé Vintage is 70% Pinot Noir from Cumières and 30% Chardonnay from Mesnil
and Avize. Roughly 12% of the wine is aged in oak. Today the Rosé is hard to
fully appreciate as the tannins make it rather imposing, but it is very, very
early days for this wine.

The
2009 Cristal literally shimmers on
the palate, showing great depth and purity in its sumptuous layers of fruit. It
is a magnificent wine endowed with superb length and exceptional overall
balance. The 2009 Cristal is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The percentage
of wine aged in oak is 15%, which is down slightly from previous vintages. The 2009 Cristal Rosé is simply fabulous.
It is shaping up to be an explosive, kaleidoscopic Champagne loaded with
sumptuous fruit. The balance and pedigree here are simply mind-bending. In 2009
Cristal Rosé is 60% Pinot Noir from Aÿ and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil and
Avize. Not a bad combination!&nbsp;
Approximately 12% of the wine was aged in oak. This will be a
fascinating Champagne to follow in the coming years and decades.

Flight # 9 – 2004
Cristal and Cristal Rosé

The
estate’s 2004’s had been recently disgorged at the time of my visit. An
explosion of fruit emerges from the 2004
Cristal, making a strong and very positive first impression. This is a wine
of incredible finesse, length and balance that promises to develop beautifully
over the next several decades. Today the 2004 comes across as more linear than
the 2002. It should fill out nicely in bottle, although my sense is it will
always remain a more focused, pointed vintage. The 2004 Cristal is 60% Pinot
Noir and 40% Chardonnay. In 2009 dosage was 9-10 grams per liter, down from the
12 or so grams that was customary five years ago. This bottle was disgorged in
January 2009. The 2004 Cristal Rosé,
from magnum, is less expressive than the Cristal. Today it is too soon to tell
how much of that may be attributable to the larger format. The 2004 Cristal Rosé
is 70% Pinot from Aÿ and 30% Chardonnay from Avize. This remains a very tight,
mineral-driven Cristal Rosé that will require significant bottle age. A final
burst of floral red berries on the finish bodes well for the future. Today I
prefer the Cristal over the Cristal Rosé, but time will ultimately tell how
these wines develop. I recently tasted the 1996s and it is now appears the Rosé
has moved ahead, if very slightly, from the Cristal. The 2004 Cristal Rosé was
disgorged in December 2009 and dosage was 9 grams per liter.

-- Antonio
Galloni

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