Blanc de Blancs2003

Extraordinary! If it is indeed an exception, 2003 is the perfect embodiment of it. It was a vintage of extremes, alternating between drought and bitter cold. This heatwave year also saw the highest temperature ever recorded in Champagne: 42°C in August! These unusual conditions led to a very rapid and complete ripening of remarkably healthy grapes with high sugar concentrations. The grapes were harvested as early as 21 August: you have to go as far back as 1893 or 1822 to find any records of such an early ripening...

This pure Chardonnay, from Domaine Louis Roederer, comes from Grand Cru plots in Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. These soils are characterised by the salinity of the limestone and the richness of the rare clays that lie beneath the surface. Here the grapes ripen well, always a little more golden than elsewhere, a little juicier, a little more vibrant. Back in the 1930s, Champagne Louis Roederer decided it could use these grapes to craft a champagne with slightly lighter bubbles, drawn off at low pressure, that would preserve the wine’s lightness and its hedonist character.

Aged for a minimum of five years in the cellars, this champagne radiates in a complex and delicate cuvée of a type that can only be found in these great terroirs.

Against all expectations, this Blanc de Blancs has managed to preserve a real sensation of fullness, delicately paced by its subtle bubbles. The flavours are vibrant with dried fruit, ripe pears, caramel, Tarte Tatin, while the freshness brings all the energy required to complement the lovely ripeness of the fruit.

Our champagnes undergo an extended period of ageing to allow them to gently evolve and mature, gaining in structure and depth, whilst developing highly nuanced aromas over the years.

You may enjoy them in the purity and chalky freshness of their youth or, if you appreciate more mature champagnes, wait a few more years or even decades for their candied, spicy notes to emerge. Our champagnes have a long future ahead of them and their destiny is in your hands!