Louis Roederer : Collection 245

A mineral-driven version, with an airy, chalky-textured mousse. Deftly integrates hints of smoke and oyster shell with flavors of yellow plum, Gala apple, honeysuckle and salted almond. Refined and persistent on the finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Drink now. 15,000 cases imported.

Restrained green apple, lemon bush and lime, plus light brioche and chalk. Medium to full body with fine, nicely persistent bubbles and good substance on the mid-palate. Almost biting yet polished at the end, with long, refreshing acidity. Lacks a bit of complexity at the moment, but fresh. Best from 2025.

An aromatic palette that opens with a cool profile and root-like notes. The vintage remains restrained. The palate is slender, with little flesh and a compressed structure. The finish ends on bitters that slightly hinder persistence

Based on the 2020 vintage, Louis Roederer’s NV Brut Collection 245 is stylistically somewhat comparable to the two previous editions, which were based on the 2018 and 2019 vintages. Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon explains that the personality of the wine will change depending on the base year. By identifying the wine with a number, they do not intend to produce the same profile year in and year out; rather, they embrace the singularity of each vintage, accepting the different personalities of the base year. It is complemented by a perpetual reserve initiated in 2012, stored in large tanks without lees; this reserve brings balance to warm years like this, as the perpetual component did not undergo malolactic fermentation. While a considerable share of the fruit comes from Louis Roederer’s own estates, for this bottling the blend also incorporates purchased fruit, particularly Pinot Meunier, which they do not own. Including approximately 43% Chardonnay, the new Brut Collection offers notes of pear, peach, and candied orange zest. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, textural and fleshy, driven by vibrant acidity and concluding with a nicely defined, delicately saline finish, even with a 7.5 grams per liter dosage.