Region and Vineyards
Louis Roederer draws this cuvée from its own vineyards, chiefly Cumières, one of the region's earliest-ripening crus. South-facing slopes of shallow clay-limestone overlook the Marne, whose reflective light and heat aid phenolic maturity—crucial for Pinot Noir destined for rosé by infusion. In warmer seasons this site delivers plush berry fruit; in cooler years its exposition safeguards ripeness without sacrificing acidity.
Complementing Pinot's flesh is Chouilly on the Côte des Blancs, a Grand Cru by reputation for Chardonnay that confers finesse, line and chalk-driven salinity. Roederer's estate model—unusual in Champagne for its breadth—allows exacting parcel selection and consistency across vintages. The house's long history of vineyard investment underpins this precision, today extending over hundreds of hectares with an expanding organic and biodynamic footprint.
Winemaking
Rosé Vintage 2017 is created by a long, gentle infusion of Pinot Noir: a saignée that extracts colour and ripe, juicy fruit while preserving saline freshness. Uniquely, a portion of Chardonnay juice is added to the Pinot Noir maceration to co-ferment, knitting varieties from the very start. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. A measured 29% of the base wines are vinified in oak; 24% undergo malolactic conversion. Dosage: 8 g/L (Brut). Harvest ran from 31 August to 9 September 2017, with unusually strict selection given the year's pressures.
As a vintage Champagne, it spends extended time on lees in bottle before release (the legal minimum is three years for vintage wines, typically exceeded by top houses), building autolytic detail without dulling freshness. This traditional-method élevage contributes fine, persistent mousse and subtle brioche complexity that frames, rather than masks, the wine's fruit.
Tasting Notes
- Color: Pale pink with light copper glints; a steady stream of fine bubbles.
- Aroma: Wild strawberry, raspberry and blood orange; rose-macaron lift, then iodised and cocoa hints with a touch of cedar and gentle spice.
- Palate: Caressingly soft entry with liqueur-like berry concentration at the core; airy, silky texture energized by chalk-saline freshness; delicate cocoa and citrus zest trail on a long, pure finish.
Did you know?
Roederer pioneered this rosé by co-fermenting Chardonnay juice directly within the Pinot Noir infusion—a rare technique in Champagne that amplifies integration, silkiness and that signature saline cut, rather than simply blending still red later.
Wine Pairing Ideas
- Bluefin tuna tataki: Umami richness and sesame char echo the wine's cedar-spice and saline finish; the brisk acidity slices through the fatty texture.
- Duck breast with blood orange: Citrus glaze mirrors the wine's blood-orange notes while Pinot's red-fruit depth complements the gamey sweetness.
- Lobster ravioli, shellfish jus: Chardonnay's chalky line and the fine mousse elevate sweet shellfish, while oak nuances resonate with bisque richness.
- Beetroot & goat's cheese mille-feuille: Earthy beet and tangy chèvre align with the wine's red-berry purity and mouthwatering, chalk-salt finale.
