Louis Roederer : Collection 244

An elegant Champagne, with bright acidity buoying a well-integrated range of ripe pear and white cherry, almond skin, fleur de sel and apple blossom notes. Fine and seamless, with a lingering, spiced finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Drink now through 2028. 21,722 cases imported.

The powerful, ripe character of 2019 is on show here, with white peach and mandarin flavours framed by the toasty, savoury citrus-oil snap of the perpetual reserve. Still feels youthful and fragrant, with juicy pear, blossom and almond notes. Will show even better with another six months. 41% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 26% Meunier. 54% from the 2019 base vintage, with 36% perpetual reserve and 10% reserve wines aged in oak.

The first impression is as invigorating as a sea breeze. I love the interplay of mirabelle, grapefruit and lychee with minty freshness and waxiness from lees contact. And all this is welded to a beautifully proportioned palate with plenty of structure, the acidity bright and the mousse lively. Very salty finish that pulls you back for more. A cuvée of 41% chardonnay, 33% pinot noir and 26% pinot meunier. Of these, 15% fermented in oak and 85% in stainless steel. The final blend contained 36% réserve perpétuelle and 10% reserve wines of the 2012–2018 vintage from oak. The dosage is 7 g/l. Drink or hold.

Very pale yellow-green with silver reflections. Delicate meadow herbs, some walnut, a hint of pineapple and mango, and candied grapefruit zest on the nose. The palate is juicy and elegant with ripe fruit nuances and a silky, already very well-developed profile. It’s creamy and lingers for a long time, making for a generous food companion. The clearly chalky character shows the vintage of the base. (PM)

Open nose showing beautiful ripeness, lovely brilliance, generous volume, and an elegant texture. It charms with its refined style. The juice is slender, with good shoulders and all the depth of reserve wines that bring complexity. The wine is poised and refreshing.

The latest iteration of Roederer's nonvintage collection, this is tense with a fine aging character. It has richness and great fruit, a fine line of structure at the end. Drink now.