Louis Roederer Collection 245 Champagne.

"This thought process about Collection began 10 years ago. The facts were undeniable, climate change had been affecting the Champagne region over the past 30 years and we saw in this an opportunity to harvest extra mature grapes at the end of earlier harvests" — Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Responding to the times we live in, along with sustainable and respectful winegrowing practices that accentuate the qualities of the terroir, have become central to Louis Roederer ethos and their work. Anticipating future vintages whilst adapting to current conditions are challenges that they are faced with daily and we must therefore push themselves ever further in their quest for exceptional wines. They must be bold and make the most of their freedom to act. These new balances determine the evolution of their wines in terms of their distinctive character and taste characterisitics whilst widening the scope of possibilities. Thus, 10 years ago, the idea of Collection was born...

2020: AN OUTSTANDING HARVEST

With each new harvest, the thought process continues and becomes more uninhibited, to express the character of the year in a new creation, to craft a very fine multi-vintage champagne for gastronomy, endowed with a remarkable capacity for cellar ageing.

Louis Roederer's 245th blend takes advantage of a particularly remarkable 2020 harvest: a dry, continental year of perfect maturity that produced juicy, well-structured, aromatic grapes, resulting in dense, full-bodied wines with a perfect balance of substance and freshness. Collection 245 therefore offers us a complex symphony in a wine of remarkably generous and flavourful intensity.

ROOTED IN "THE HEART OF THE TERROIR"

True to its roots, the Champagne House wanted to reflect its historical origins in the blend: 1/3 from our “la Rivière” Estate, 1/3 from our “la Montagne” Estate and 1/3 from our “la Côte” Estate. All the plots of vines used for the creation of Collection, both those owned by Louis Roederer and those belonging to its longstanding partners, have therefore been re-evaluated in order to retain only those that are best suited to the Collection identity, rooted in the heart of the Champagne terroir.

This quest for the Champagne region’s most “expressionist” terroirs results in a multitude of different origins, lieux-dits, exposures, lands with strong identities and predominantly limestone soils, all of which have the ability to evolve over a long period of time. This approach not only allows Louis Roederer to better respond to climate change while gaining resilience and complexity but also guarantees the freshness of its wines and the continuity of the Louis Roederer style.

THE ART OF BLENDING

Made up of 55% of the 2020 harvest, Collection 245 is an ode to taste and drinking pleasure. Each year, the Cellar Master composes a new symphony, inspired by the tonalities of the year and then adds the wines from the Perpetual Reserve and the oak-aged reserve wines.

The Perpetual Reserve makes up 35% of the Collection 245 blend providing balance and freshness. In parallel with the Perpetual Reserve, a significant proportion of wines from previous years and young plots on the Cristal estate, aged in French oak foudres, are added to the blend. These Reserve wines are Louis Roederer's signature and make up 10% of the Collection 245 blend.

THE SINGULARITY OF COLLECTION 245

Aged for nearly 4 years in our cellars, Collection 245 is a complex champagne that has reached great plenitude. Perfect with gastronomy, this champagne is endowed with obvious cellar-ageing potential. The maturity and balance of the vintage year, the freshness of the Perpetual Reserve and the complexity of the oak-aged Reserve wines result in an impressive density of fruit, releasing complex flavours of citrus and yellow fruit; pure, intense notes nuanced by a hint of smoke.

VINTAGE

The year 2020 followed a similar trajectory to that of 2019 with a mild and rainy winter followed by a dry summer with several heatwaves which, although less extreme than in 2019, still had an impact on the vine. Fortunately, the weather was rather dull and a bit wet in June which gave us a welcome humid interlude between two dry spells. Despite our impressions of relentless heat and sunshine, the temperatures and sunshine levels over the 2020 harvest period were actually relatively normal. These continental conditions, but with “normal” annual averages, enabled the production of mature and wellbalanced wines!

The harvests took place between 22 August and 11 September 2020.

Each Collection is a change of gear, a new chapter in the Champagne House ' world of taste. Always unique, yet always decidedly Roederer!

TASTING NOTES

Lovely golden yellow hue.

Steady lively bubbles.

Bouquet of yellow fruits (nectarine) and ripe, concentrated citrus (lemon) complemented by sweet notes of petals, pollen, sugared almonds and wheat. We find an impressively ripe, complex and intense fruit which elevates the pure and intense bouquet interwoven with smoky overtones.

The palate is velvety, unctuous, rich and juicy. The bubbles have an almost saline character to them and coat the palate with a broad and concentrated texture. The wine reveals an exceptional balance between structure and a crisp, powdery, saline chalky freshness. Smoky and slightly oaky notes linger on a deliciously well-honed finish.