This is not the place to recount the Maison’s convoluted founding history. Anyone interested can read about it in my book on champagne. What is important – particularly with a view to the year 2033 – is the fact that, in 1833, the house passed by inheritance to Louis Roederer, a native of Alsace, who then named it after himself. Camille Olry-Roederer was the last family member with ‘Roederer’ in her name to head the company between 1932 and 1975. She was succeeded by her grandson Jean-Claude Rouzaud and, finally, by his son Frédéric. The latter hosted the celebrations, which stood under the motto ‘Creation is Love’. By ‘love’, Rouzaud alluded to a deep empathy for the land and, in a broader sense, for nature – as well as to the community-building moment that champagne creates. For the guests, however, it was certainly a moment to reflect on just how much pleasure Roederer Champagne has given the world – and will undoubtedly continue to give.
Legacy and Mission
Looking back at the celebrations, one must certainly also mention the evening’s cultural ‘pre-programme’. As it was too hot that day, it took place instead at the opera house in the Reims Congress Centre. It was staged as a ‘living newspaper’, with programme items ranging from ballet and music to photography. Only one contribution – Peter Liem’s report on the salvage of historic champagne bottles from the Baltic Sea – had anything to do with champagne. That sounds a bit ‘intellectual’ on paper. On site, it brought together a mosaic of fascinating, and at times even moving, moments centred on key themes such as humanity, love, memory and time. Admittedly, it was ‘high culture’ – with Alice Renavand, for instance, an ‘étoile’ of the Paris Opera Ballet, performing – but it was contemporary, vibrant and offered a global perspective. Not only because, with the exception of a brief welcome address by Frédéric Rouzaud, no speeches were given, something like this would never happen in Germany.
When I asked how much the celebrations and the encounters with guests and friends had inspired the house itself, Frédéric Rouzaud wrote to me that this had personally given him ‘a great deal of energy and optimism’: ‘This anniversary was more than just a celebration of our past – it was a powerful reminder of what defines a family-run and independent house today’. For “the most significant legacy we have inherited”, the Roederer Managing Director continued, “is not only our vineyards or our wines, but also the community of people who share the same ideals of excellence, freedom, passing on our heritage and respect for nature.”
In seven years’ time, the Maison will have something to celebrate once again. That will mark the 200th anniversary of Louis Roederer’s takeover of the house. Without giving anything away, Rouzaud emphasised the significance of this “important milestone in our history”: “His decision to acquire vineyards and secure creative independence through a closer connection to the terroir remains one of the cornerstones of our identity.”
Late Release – the third expression of Cristal
At the actual evening event marking the 250th anniversary at Louis Roederer’s historic headquarters, the focus was certainly on celebration. And, of course, champagne! Whether through pairings of current champagnes with the two-star cuisine of Philippe Mille from the Reims-based “Arbane”. Or through the presentation of the new vintage and new cuvées. As the Maison’s Prestige Cuvée – originally created for Tsar Alexander II – was also celebrating its anniversary, ‘Cristal only’ was, so to speak, the evening’s wine theme. The 2016 Blanc and 2014 Rosé were both served from magnums. And the latter really showed its true class in this format! Later in the evening came the premiere of the 2018 Cristal Blanc. As Pinot Noir struggled in Champagne in 2017, the Maison skipped that vintage. 2018 turned out to be quite hot and dry. With a classic blend (57% PN | 43% Ch), Roederer has, quite logically, completely blocked malolactic fermentation here. Very young, very elegant, with huge potential!
Around midnight came the spectacular champagne highlight of the event: the unveiling of Cristal’s new late-release series. Such a moment is extraordinary even for a Maison with 250 years of history. After all, you may summarise the history of Cristal in just a handful of dates. Its beginnings in 1876 with its actual creation at the Russian tsar’s court. In 1927 – following the Russian Revolution – it joined the standard range as a prestige cuvée. 1974 saw the production of the first vintage of Cristal Rosé. Finally, in 2017, also at the Maison’s flagship venue, the Cristal Vinothèque range was unveiled, featuring the 1995 and 1996 vintages. These are Cristal vintages that have matured in the bottle under ideal conditions, with a lower dosage. The release comes to market considerably later than the classic cuvées – the current vintage is 2004.
Late Release is now the third variant of Cristal, with a bottle ageing period almost twice as long. Cellarmaster Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon had christened the inaugural 2008 vintage ‘Le cristal de cristal’, and expectations were correspondingly high. Both the Blanc and the Rosé saw disgorgement in March 2022 after 13 years’ maturation on the lees, with a dosage of 7 and 8 grams per litre respectively. The bottles then rested in the cellar for four years before release. It is difficult to put one’s impressions into words after a day like that. Perhaps just this. It was a kiss of perfection – and it kindled a longing to see it again.
Image credits
Opening photo: Alex Jones / Champagne Louis Roederer
All other images: Stefan Pegatzky / Time Tunnel Images
