The Tasting Room with Emily Boom: Louis Roederer
Bordeaux Index
20 May 2025
It’s not every day that one gets to experience a vinous dream. Our destination? None other than Louis Roederer, the revered family-run Maison that has been quietly crafting some of the world’s finest Champagnes since 1776. This visit promised not just history and terroir, but a tasting lineup that would make any Champagne lover weak at the knees, including a rare late disgorged edition of 1993 Cristal only for family and friends, that still lingers in my mind.
Louis Roederer is one of the last great independent Champagne houses, and you can feel that sense of autonomy and vision in every part of their philosophy. The house really came into its own under Louis Roederer himself in the 19th century, when he invested heavily in vineyards (something quite radical at the time). Today, Roederer owns over 240 hectares of vines, primarily in Grand and Premier Cru sites — an extraordinary level of control over their fruit, which is the backbone of their signature style: poised, precise, and quietly powerful.
The house has long prioritised organic and biodynamic farming (far ahead of trend), and it shows. The wines buzz with life, transparency, and a tactile minerality that only comes from healthy soils and meticulous care.
Before I dive into the secret cellars of the Roederer collection, if there is one take away, it should be 2016 Cristal is the rising star and a wine every collector would have tucked away!
I must admit, divulging started early, with not one but two recent collection releases’ corks being popped on the train at the respectable time of 10.30 am, in none other than a paper cup. To me, the perfect start to the weekend.
Collection 245: Built around the 2020 base vintage, this was energetic and finely cut — bright citrus, and a flinty, saline edge that I absolutely loved.
Collection 244: Slightly broader and more generous, with a touch more toast and orchard fruit. It showed off the sunny 2019 base vintage well, while still holding the line with Roederer’s trademark precision.
Once we touched down in Reims, we were greeted on arrival with another treat - Brut Nature Blanc 2015. A concept fashioned by Louis Roederer’s CEO Frédéric Rouzaud, his cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, and the designer Philippe Starck, aimed at capturing a wilder, more unfiltered side of Champagne. The result is a 0-dosage champagne produced by co-planted vines of both Pinot and Chardonnay, which are picked the same day. ‘06 was the first vintage, followed by ‘09 and ‘12, with the 2018 vintage to be released this Autumn. The ‘15 is racy, tensile, and electric. It's dry, yes, but not austere – there’s generosity to the fruit. I must admit, after a couple of glasses, I did miss the sugar, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a side of brioche bread…
Next came a trio of vintage expressions, each a little world unto itself:
Vintage 2016: 68% Pinot and 32% Chardonnay. Due to the powerful and thick skins of the Pinot, this had lots of character. Structured, linear, and quietly intense — this is Roederer in a classical frame. The chalky grip and coiled energy, with a honeyed nose and a gorgeous toasted pastry to finish. Bonus insight is that there will be a Blanc de Noir 2018 release soon.
Rosé 2017: 60% Pinot and 40% Chardonnay. Delicate red berries, blood orange, and just a whisper of spice. Roederer uses a method called infusion, where a small portion of Pinot Noir is macerated and then blended into Chardonnay — giving the wine lift, finesse, and real aromatic complexity. This with goat's cheese…
Blanc de Blancs 2017 & 2010: These were a masterclass in terroir expression. The 2017 was vivid and focused, incredible minerality, all lemon zest and crushed oyster shell. But later on, we tasted the 2010 BdB and wow. Richer, deeper, with roasted hazelnut and cream notes wrapped around a mineral core. This is a wine that’s hit its stride, and it’s glorious.
And then, Cristal.
Originally created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, a fan of the Roederer wines. Who, at the time, requested a transparent bottle and no indent at the base, to prevent assassination attempts, an appearance that is still illustrated to this day. Cristal has become one of Champagne’s most iconic and sought-after wines. But beyond the legend and the gold-label status lies an extraordinarily serious wine.
Cristal is always a vintage Champagne, drawn only from the very best vineyards in the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs, and made exclusively in exceptional years. It’s a painstaking process: biodynamically farmed plots, extended ageing (six years on lees, minimum), and low dosage to let the terroir shine.
Cristal 2016: Balance, Balance, Balance! Taut and luminous, with waves of citrus and a shimmering energy that seems to vibrate in the glass. This beautiful mineral with fruit so perfectly nestled underneath. It’s fresh and yet so rich at the same time. It’s cerebral yet deeply pleasurable — the kind of wine you could spend hours with.
Cristal 1993: Tasting this was a moment. Over 30 years old, yet still hauntingly alive. This was a late disgorgement just for the family, disgorged in 2018 and what a treat. Honeyed, nutty, with dried apricot, truffle, and saline notes — but what impressed me most was the structure. Still there, still holding. This isn’t just longevity; it’s grace in age.
Cristal-Clear Highlight – 2016 Cristal
Why hear me say it, when Jean-Baptiste, cellar master, said it himself, “Cristal 2016 is quite simply phenomenal! This is the most balanced Cristal we have ever made. It is a flawless hybrid of the ‘08, with its acidity and sharpness, and the ‘15, with its richness and opulence. Completely and utterly sole driven. This is the most perfect vintage of Cristal since ’08.”
