The release of Louis Roederer's brand new, Collection 242, replaces its much-loved Brut Premier. It is an audacious move for Louis Roederer which has traversed a path of unequivocal progress, refinement and purpose.
Louis Roederer is the most exciting and progressive Champagne House today. Spurred on by the pursuit of taste, they have achieved a meaningful legacy over the past 21 years, earning a unique status as the region’s largest organically certified producer.
The release of its brand new, Collection 242, replaces its much-loved Brut Premier. It is an audacious move for Louis Roederer which has traversed a path of unequivocal progress, refinement and purpose. So, perhaps we shouldn’t be at all surprised that its multi-vintage was next to be ameliorated.
242 stands for the 242nd blend made by the House which is based on harvest 2017. Each release will mark a ‘change of gear, a new chapter in the Louis Roederer pursuit of taste,’ so says its maker, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon.
The biggest difference between Brut Premier and Collection 242 is the role played by reserve wine. Lécaillon says that Brut Premier’s reserves, stored in foudres, was “designed to bring ripeness, roundness and maturity to a young base. Reserves were aged oxidatively, in oak casks, for a long time (average 7-8 years).” Collection goes the other way, looking for freshness through reduction. Lécaillon says “We have reductive aging through Réserve Perpétuelle and we use oak aged wines in a different way – they are younger (average 3-4 years) and we use more of them (around 10% in Collection versus 6% in Brut Premier).”
Dosage is also down, from 9g/L to 8g/L.
Collection 242 marks a bellwether moment for Louis Roederer.
Louis Roederer Collection 242
42% chardonnay, 36% pinot noir, 22% meunier. 10% reserve wine aged in oak from 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011 and 2009. 34% perpetual reserve from 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012. 34% malolactic fermentation. Dosage is 8g/L.
The nose is pronounced; fronting with lemony freshness, creamy, then with sweet summer fruits and ginger spice. On the palate, it’s rich and succulent, loaded with mineral energy and malic tension, and drives some intense red and yellow fruits with just a little apple peel bitterness. It finishes in a crescendo of salty mineral verve and dry extract.
