- Already wonderful to drink
- Has the style of Cristal, though not quite the minerality
The Rouzaud family, who own Roederer, prefer to drink Blanc de Blancs at family celebrations. In 2025, they will open the 2008 vintage, as Frédéric Rouzaud has revealed to us.
The fruit of ripe lemons, lemon zest, peach and lemon meringue pie is complemented by vanilla brioche and lightly toasted nuts. The palate is very delicate with precise minerality and ultra-fine perlage.
The grapes for this fine Blanc de Blancs come from the two best Chardonnay Grands Crus in Champagne: Avize and Le Mesnil sur Oger. The vineyards are owned by the house. Even though certification was not yet complete, the vineyards were no longer treated with chemicals in 2008. A Blanc de Blancs in Champagne does not automatically have to be a Chardonnay, as other white grapes, such as Pinot Blanc, are also permitted. However, this is a pure Chardonnay. Twenty percent of the base wines were aged in oak barrels and the yeasts were stirred to give greater fullness, a process known as bâtonnage. Malolactic fermentation was prevented. The 2008 vintage matured on the fine lees for five years. The Blanc de Blancs is disgorged at a lower pressure. This makes the carbon dioxide less intense and the palate becomes round and creamy earlier.
