Louis Roederer Master Class with Frédéric Rouzaud

It is an incredibly rare privilege to learn from Frédéric Rouzaud, the seventh generation of the Roederer family to run Champagne Louis Roederer. Yesterday, at Selby’s restaurant—the Michelin one-star restaurant that we share a wall with here in Redwood City—Lilia, Cinnamon, and I were treated to an incredible masterclass led by Mr. Rouzaud in person. The lineup of wines, the pairing with caviar and oysters, and his unique insights into his family’s Champagne made for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The 2016 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne $299.99 98TWI 98WE 97DC 97WA 96VN 96WS, which is the current release, keeps showing better every time that I taste it, and it is amazing how this young wine can show so well even in the context of the others that we enjoyed. I think this will be a sneaky great—and those who have extra in their cellar a decade or two from now will be extremely happy that they bought it… The problem will be hiding it from oneself as it is tasting so good today! Like all Cristal, it is from an estate within an estate, vineyards averaging 40-years old on the chalkiest parcels, all their own massal selection. Frédéric calls it “white soil, blue sky”—the perfect sites, and wine only made when the weather has been right. This blend of 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay was fermented 31% in wood this time around, and has spectacular texture. It is elegance in a glass. I love the combination of subtle nuttiness and bright lime aromas in this vintage, as well as the endless mineral driven finish.

If there is one thing everyone in Champagne agrees on, it is magnums. The current release in that format is the 2012 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne Magnum $699.99 98JG 98VN 98WE 97JD 97WA 97WS 95JS 95W&S, aged for an extra four years over the 750ml. This wine was a total knockout, so generous aromatically, loaded with not only the Puligny-Montrachet-like fine lime aromas, but also some nearly Chambolle-like Pinot Noir black cherry. All of this is framed in the finest of baguette toast from the extended time on the lees—what a bouquet! With the extra four yeas on the lees this wine has the perfect streamers and silky texture of true luxury; the finish was expansive, chalky and bright. It wowed me with caviar.

Only 5 hectares of the 80 hectare Cristal estate are isolated for the 2014 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Rosé Champagne $549.99 97VN, the current release (with two extra years of aging) alongside the 2016 Cristal. I have not tasted a lot of Cristal Rosé—it is the smallest production wine from Louis Roederer, but out of the fewer than 10 vintages that I have tasted, I have to say that the 2014 has been my favorite. The long, cool, even growing season of this vintage is also a rarity these days—I have only seen three vintages in this style in my career: 1988, 2004, and 2014. The magic of this wine is in its perfect balance. The airy elegance, hidden complexity, and subtle charm of Cristal Brut are all there, but also distinct and concentrated black Pinot fruit, nearly Musigny-like, is in this bottle. The finish is as chalky and lifted as anyone could wish for. For all the power of the dark fruit Pinot, there is no tannin, no heaviness, just magical Champagne that is impossible to tire of.

We finished the night off with the nearly thirty-year-old 1997 Louis Roederer "Cristal Vinothèque" Brut Champagne $999.99, which came directly from the property this year. I have often said that it takes about 20 years from vintage for Cristal to really start doing its thing, and wow was this one doing it! The lovely white truffle and fresh brioche nose gave way to bright citrus on the palate, and the back end had a rounder style, but was still very lifted and clean. What a treat!