{"id":4538,"date":"2026-07-03T12:04:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T12:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/?p=4538"},"modified":"2026-07-03T12:04:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T12:04:24","slug":"louis-roederer-at-250-how-champagnes-most-admired-brand-stays-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/?p=4538","title":{"rendered":"Louis Roederer at 250: How Champagne\u2019s Most Admired Brand Stays Ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Louis Roederer celebrates its 250th anniversary, Alice Lascelles explores the history and innovation behind its enduring success.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n

Every\u00a0year,\u00a0one of the\u00a0wine magazines\u00a0publishes a league of\u00a0\u2018Most Admired Champagne Brands,\u2019\u00a0based on a\u00a0poll\u00a0of\u00a0several hundred buyers, merchants, masters of wine, sommeliers,\u00a0and drinks writers (including me). For the last seven years, the top spot has\u00a0been taken by\u00a0Louis Roederer \u2013\u202fthe family-owned champagne house\u00a0which also makes\u00a0Cristal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It wins\u00a0praise for the\u00a0\u201cquality and consistency of\u00a0its\u00a0wines,\u201d\u00a0its\u00a0\u201cattention to detail,\u201d\u00a0and its\u00a0\u201cconstant innovation,\u201d\u00a0says\u00a0champagne writer\u00a0Giles Fallowfield, who organizes the poll. There\u00a0is also, he adds,\u00a0simply\u00a0\u201ca certain class about everything it does.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

See also: A Drinks Expert\u2019s Take on Match-Day Pairings for the World Cup<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Roederer’s\u00a0pulling power was certainly\u00a0plain\u00a0at\u00a0its\u00a0250th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary\u00a0last week, which took place\u00a0in Reims\u00a0amidst\u00a0\u2013\u202for,\u00a0rather,\u00a0in spite of\u00a0\u2013\u202frecord-breaking heat.\u00a0The\u00a0invite-only bash for 600\u00a0began\u00a0with\u00a0an artistic performance\u00a0at the\u00a0city\u2019s\u00a0Centre de\u00a0Congr\u00e8s,\u00a0followed by\u00a0an\u00a0al fresco\u00a0party\u00a0in the\u00a0cobbled\u00a0courtyard\u00a0of Roederer\u00a0HQ. Michelin-starred\u00a0canapes\u00a0with names\u00a0such as\u00a0\u2018Lobster Zephyr\u2019\u00a0and\u00a0\u2018The\u00a0Hour of the\u00a0Cuttlefish\u2019\u00a0were accompanied by\u00a0a\u00a0vertical of\u00a0Cristal\u00a0vintages\u00a0that began\u00a0with\u00a02018, and\u00a0culminated\u00a0in\u00a0Cristal Late Release 2008\u00a0in magnum \u2013\u202fa dazzling wine, from a vaunted year,\u00a0that had even the most jaded\u00a0industry types squealing\u00a0with\u00a0excitement.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cA\u00a0Cristal\u00a0that has\u00a0almost\u00a020 years on it, like 2008, is\u00a0always\u00a0an extra experience,\u00a0always,\u201d\u00a0says Louis Roederer\u2019s\u00a0remarkably fresh-looking\u00a0CEO Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Rouzaud,\u00a0when we meet the next day.\u00a0\u201cWhen Cristal is young, it\u2019s very nice, it has finesse, delicacy, concentration, energy, but as it gets older it opens up into a more 3D expression, it\u2019s much more complete.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Bucket
\u00a9Louis Roederer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s 150 years since\u00a0Cristal was\u00a0first created for\u00a0Russian tsar\u00a0Alexander II,\u00a0after the champagne-loving\u00a0monarch\u00a0commissioned\u00a0a personal cuv\u00e9e from\u00a0Roederer\u2019s\u00a0best plots. The original\u00a0recipe\u00a0was very sweet \u2013 as was the fashion at the time \u2013\u202fand came in a bottle made of\u00a0newly-fashionable\u00a0lead crystal,\u00a0hence the name (clear glass is not so great for wine, however, as it exposes it to light damage,\u00a0or\u00a0\u201clight strike,\u201d\u00a0which is why Cristal\u00a0comes\u00a0wrapped in a protective layer of\u00a0golden\u00a0cellophane\u00a0these days). The tsar was\u00a0also\u00a0paranoid that his enemies might conceal explosives in the punt, so\u00a0Roederer obliged by\u00a0designing a bottle\u00a0with a flat bottom\u00a0to rule this out.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cristal may taste\u00a0rather\u00a0different\u00a0today, but it\u2019s still made exclusively\u00a0from Roederer\u2019s\u00a0top\u00a0grand cru\u00a0vineyards,\u00a0to a ratio\u00a0of\u00a0around\u00a040\u00a0percent\u00a0chardonnay to 60\u00a0percent\u00a0pinot noir\u00a0(in the\u00a0case of the\u00a0blanc)\u00a0with six years on the lees.\u00a0The resulting wine can be\u00a0quite fine\u00a0and\u00a0racy, even\u00a0airy,\u00a0at first, but gradually develops a fabulous silkiness and patinated richness\u00a0with time.\u00a0Long-aged\u00a0Cristals\u00a0in\u00a0large formats\u00a0\u2013\u202fwhich create\u00a0a\u00a0higher wine-to-oxygen ratio, thus promoting more stately\u00a0maturation\u00a0\u2013\u202fare\u00a0even better.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Every cuv\u00e9e in the\u00a0Roederer\u00a0range\u00a0from vintage Roederer upwards\u00a0is made entirely from estate-grown grapes \u2013\u00a0which is highly unusual, unique even, in a\u00a0house of this\u00a0size.\u00a0The preponderance of vineyards on chalky sites is also key to\u00a0preserving\u00a0its\u00a0signature saline, mineral style,\u00a0especially\u00a0in hotter, drier\u00a0vintages, which have been becoming increasingly common in\u00a0the last\u00a010\u00a0to\u00a015\u00a0years\u00a0as a result of\u00a0climate change.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

See also: England\u2019s Best Still Wines Are Now Coming From Essex<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy father\u2019s challenge was achieving maturity in the vineyards, which wasn\u2019t happening every year.\u00a0Whereas today my challenge is to preserve freshness,\u201d\u00a0says Rouzaud. \u201cSo\u00a0a vintage like 2008\u00a0[which, unusually, boasts both generous ripeness and bright acidity] is\u00a0really special.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Also\u00a0crucial\u00a0to Roederer\u2019s success\u00a0is its\u00a0highly-regarded\u00a0cellarmaster\u00a0Jean-Baptise L\u00e9caillon. In situ since 1999,\u00a0L\u00e9caillon\u00a0has made the company a\u00a0standard-bearer\u00a0for sustainable viticulture at scale, with a large proportion of its vineyards now certified organic and\/or farmed according to biodynamic practices.\u00a0He\u2019s also extremely erudite on\u00a0the art of winemaking\u00a0\u2013 if you get the chance\u00a0to taste with\u00a0this man,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0miss it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Back
\"\"\u00a9Louis Roederer\"\"<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2021,\u00a0L\u00e9caillon\u00a0replaced\u00a0Roederer\u2019s entry-level Brut Premier with the more nuanced Louis Roederer\u00a0Collection,\u00a0a\u00a0multi-vintage blend which\u00a0is re-fashioned for every edition\u00a0in response to the year it\u2019s founded on.\u00a0In Reims\u00a0last week\u00a0I tasted both Collection 244 and the new 247. The\u00a0former, based on the 2019 vintage,\u00a0another heatwave, combines luscious orchard fruit and\u00a0blossom honey\u00a0notes with a cool, wet chalkiness;\u00a0the latter, based on\u00a02022,\u00a0had more citrussy definition, and a fine, slightly bitter lift.\u00a0Roederer also makes a lesser-spotted\u00a0Coteaux\u00a0Champenois, or still red wine, called\u00a0Hommage\u00a0\u00e0 Camille,\u00a0which\u00a0is\u00a0always\u00a0interesting to taste.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Roederer may be the toast of the town, but\u00a0there\u2019s no denying\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0lacklustre times for champagne more generally \u2013\u202fin 2025, shipments fell 2\u00a0percent\u00a0to 266m bottles, or their lowest level for\u00a020\u00a0years (the only exception\u00a0to this\u00a0being an anomalous dip caused by the first\u00a0lockdown\u00a0in\u00a02020), thanks in no small part to\u00a0waning\u00a0consumption on\u00a0Champagne\u2019s\u00a0home turf.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the US and UK remain\u00a0\u201cbig markets\u201d\u00a0for Roederer, says Rouzaud.\u00a0\u201cAnd Asia, with Japan first \u2013\u202fit\u2019s becoming our second-biggest market. Australia is also doing well. The Danish are big, big collectors. Eastern\u00a0Europe is now starting. And in the end, we have only 270m bottles for the whole world.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

See also:\u00a0Interesting Wines To Order At Dinner, According To Sommeliers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

And\u00a0he remains\u00a0bullish about Champagne\u2019s prospects.\u00a0\u201cThe wine has never been as good as it is today thanks to global warming and to the evolution of the viticulture we practise. Twenty years ago,\u00a0it was all bodybuilding red wines that were strong and oaky \u2013\u202fbut now people are wanting wines that are about balance and freshness. They want wines that are easy to drink. And Champagne is so versatile \u2013 it makes a beautiful aperitif, a great gift, and vintage especially pairs wonderfully with food,\u201d\u00a0he adds, recalling an\u00a0\u201cincredible\u201d\u00a0pairing of wagyu beef and Cristal ros\u00e9 he\u00a0recently\u00a0had in Japan.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Big
\u00a9Louis Roederer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next big project on the horizon for Roederer is the renovation of its\u00a0\u201chotel particulier\u201d\u00a0\u2013\u00a0a 10-bedroom mansion, with\u00a0a beautiful garden, in the centre of Reims.\u00a0Built in the 19th<\/sup>\u00a0century, this handsome, high-ceilinged home was the site of many Roederer family parties back in the day.\u00a0In 18 months\u2019\u00a0time,\u00a0it will re-launch as a\u00a0property for\u00a0private hire.\u00a0Given that Champagne Roederer is not generally open to the public, this is\u00a0one five-star way to get behind the scenes.\u00a0\u201cGuests will be able to have\u00a0a vineyard visit,\u00a0a tasting,\u00a0dinner, stay the night \u2013 the full\u00a0360 degree\u00a0experience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Similar\u00a0hospitality\u00a0projects are a-foot at\u00a0two\u00a0other\u00a0Roederer\u00a0estates:\u00a0the Bordeaux second growth\u00a0Ch\u00e2teau Pichon Comtesse\u00a0and\u00a0Maison Delas Fr\u00e8res\u00a0in the Rhone.\u00a0In 2018, the company also acquired the historic\u00a0Hotel Christiana\u00a0in Val\u00a0d\u2019Is\u00e8re,\u00a0and\u00a0will\u00a0re-launch\u00a0this\u00a0as a\u00a0luxury\u00a0boutique hotel in 2027.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the\u00a0Louis Roederer\u00a0Foundation, which supports the arts. Works commissioned for the 250th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary include a piece by the artist and filmmaker Lee Shulman, best-known for his collaborations\u00a0with Martin Parr; and an installation for Roederer\u2019s hotel\u00a0particulier\u00a0by multi-disciplinary artist Bianca Bondi.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI like what the artist can tell;\u00a0I like their sensibility,\u00a0they are predictors,\u00a0and sometimes they are right. I think we need artists\u00a0because\u00a0they alert us sometimes to what is going on,\u201d\u00a0says Rouzaud.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end, wine is all about\u00a0art de vivre<\/em>.\u00a0It\u00a0is culture.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Louis Roederer celebrates its 250th anniversary, Alice Lascelles explores the history and innovation behind its enduring success.\u00a0 Every\u00a0year,\u00a0one of the\u00a0wine magazines\u00a0publishes a league of\u00a0\u2018Most Admired Champagne Brands,\u2019\u00a0based on a\u00a0poll\u00a0of\u00a0several hundred buyers, merchants, masters of wine, sommeliers,\u00a0and drinks writers (including me). For the last seven years, the top spot has\u00a0been taken by\u00a0Louis Roederer \u2013\u202fthe family-owned […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"","beyondwords_project_id":"","beyondwords_content_id":"","beyondwords_preview_token":"","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4538"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4538\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}