Louis Roederer Late Release Vintage Brut 1997.

LATE RELEASE

"Reaching the peak of maturity yet still as fresh as ever, these original disgorgement champagnes illustrate their exceptional cellaring potential and incredible gastronomic dimension." — Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master.

THE HANDPRINT OF TIME

It is these variations over the years that we are now ready to share through these limited-edition Late Release champagnes. By uncovering a small quantity of these precious bottles and bringing them into the light - the light of day, of course, but also the light of a new tasting experience - the Louis Roederer Champagne House is revealing a new facet of these exceptional wines.

These mature vintage champagnes were disgorged at the time of their creation and then left to age in our cellars until they were ready to disclose the true depth of their personalities to us. They are witnesses of the passing of time, they recount the history and evolutions of the Champagne House and in doing so they also relate the history of Champagne and its terroirs. We are turning back the hands of time to reveal the innermost secrets of these champagnes that have waited patiently beneath our feet for this moment, each one so unique despite their similarities.

THE VARIATIONS OF THE VERZY TERROIR

These five vintages were carefully selected by the cellar master. Having been honed and structured by extended periods of age, their contours are now clearly defined as they prepare to reveal the full extent of their personalities to us, “reaching the peak of maturity yet remaining as fresh as ever”.

The Late Vintage is also about variation: the variations of the same terroir across 5 vintages. Tasting these champagnes is like piecing together the parts of the Verzy puzzle and thereby grasping its true essence.

"For this first edition of Late Release, we were naturally drawn to the origins of the Champagne House and our family and it was for this reason we chose the Montagne vineyards and in particular the village of Verzy. This village holds a very special place in our heart because it represents the beginnings of the family-owned Champagne House as this is where Louis Roederer chose to purchase his very first vines back in 1850." — Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO

THE MONTAGNE VINEYARDS

The Vintage champagne was born in these very soils and has now been reawakened after two decades of dormancy to open the first chapter of the Late Release adventure. The exceptional texture and smoothness of these wines result from the nuances found in the Verzy Pinot noirs which have been further accentuated by the precision of the oak ageing process.

TRACING THE THREADS OF HISTORY

Having been carefully preserved for many long years in the complete darkness of the Louis Roederer cellars, in perfect temperature and humidity conditions, these vintage champagnes are now reaching the peak of their maturity, the very apex of their potential.

Each vintage that has been carefully selected by the cellar master is now ready to begin a new life, bringing champagne into the world of fine wine and broadening their drinking potential as these fresh and complex champagnes pair wonderfully well with food!

VINTAGE

The mild spring of 1997 brought on an early bud burst and was followed by bitterly cold temperatures in mid-April coupled with severe frosts which damaged the Verzenay and Verzy vineyards. Flowering took place early, on 10th June for the Côte des Blancs and Aÿ and on 13th June for Verzenay, and was immediately followed by a very cold and rainy spell which lasted through until early August and left us fearing the worst for our vines, due to the high threat of mildew and peduncular rot in particular. The return of better weather conditions in August and the warm and sunny weather in September saved a year that did not begin well! The harvests began on 15th September in the Vallée de la Marne, 18th September in the Montagne de Reims and 22nd September in the Côte des Blancs, and took place in bright sunshine!

Harvesting from 15th September to 1st October 1997.

TASTING NOTES

Bright and intense golden yellow hue.

Elegant threads of lively bubbles.

The springlike bouquet reveals sweet white flower aromas and concentrated notes of candied fruit, characteristic of
the Chardonnay varietal. It reveals exceptional freshness, classic ‘champagne’ chalky notes and a touch of aniseed.
Mineral and smoky notes comes to the fore after aeration before giving way to saline aromas and white truffle.

The palate is fresh and taut with incredible energy andlimestone character that makes the wine seem so much younger than it really is. A sensation of finesse and a slightly tannic finish complement the wine’s chalky freshness. The result is a well-honed, elegant and almost ‘taut’ wine with distinctively smoky notes. This vintage was cool and the grapes late to ripen which lends this champagne a mineral character, classic style and light and ethereal finish.