Louis Roederer Hommage à Camille Coteaux Champenois Blanc 2020
Camille was the ingenious widow at the helm of Louis Roederer from 1932 to 1975, successfully steering it through all the important events of that time. Camille had many strong cards up her sleeve: wines from the finest Champagne terroirs, a collection of crus that her husband Léon had shrewdly acquired after the phylloxera crisis. These exceptional plots in Aÿ, Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Cumières are the treasure troves and foundations of Louis Roederer’s unique style. Their still red and white wines are an authentic expression of the Champagne terroirs that Camille held so dear.
Frédéric Rouzaud wanted to pay homage to the great-grandmother whose playful spirit he had so admired. He therefore decided to dedicate this collection of single-vineyard still wines to Camille, perpetuating the Champagne House’s inventive spirit.
This new collection is the result of a twofold motion; a glance backwards, to the past, in homage to ancestor Camille; and a gesture to the future, to that which Nature offers and to receive it in order to render it even more beautiful. By working closely with the vines, using solar viticulture and bespoke vinification, they are able to reveal a new dimension hidden in their champagne terroirs.
To craft this Chardonnay single-vineyard white wine, the team at Louis Roederer needed to find the most suitable hillside that would give an elegant wine with depth, structure and great style. Volibarts, the historical 55-ares, southeast-facing plot in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, where the old vines grow gently and slowly, seemed to be the ideal choice. Their quest for complexity and a certain tannic character can only be achieved through bespoke vinification. This Chardonnay strikes just the right balance between depth and purity, resulting in a sophisticated composition that draws itself out with exceptional freshness.
The 2020 season followed a similar trajectory to that of 2019: a mild, wet winter followed by a dry summer with several heatwaves, admittedly less extreme than in 2019, but which had an impact on the vines. Fortunately, a rather dull month of June brought us a wet interlude between two dry periods. Despite the hot spells and the impression of constant sunshine, the 2020 campaign ended up with relatively normal temperatures and sunshine levels. These continental weather conditions, but with “normal” annual averages, allowed us to produce ripe and well balanced wines.
Deep golden yellow hue. Bouquet of yellow fruit (Mirabelle plums), dried nuts (almonds), wheat and roasted hazelnuts. The oaky notes are delicately interwoven into the wine's bouquet, giving an impression of a delicious, noble reduction. The palate is concentrated and caressingly soft with a big, rich, rounded and oily texture. The mid-palate reveals a delicate, sappy texture combined with the lovely mineral acidity that is the hallmark of this wine, while the texture of the oak lengthens the palate and creates a very savoury finish. Oaky notes delicately interwoven into the wine's bouquet, giving an impression of a delicious noble reduction.
At its core, the wine is mineral, fresh and powdery, in a nutshell: lively - Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Chardonnay
Country - France
Region - Coteaux Champenois
Vintage - 2020
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 12.9%