Louis Roederer Collection 244 Champagne

The first impression is as invigorating as a sea breeze. I love the interplay of mirabelle, grapefruit and lychee fruit with minty freshness and waxiness from lees contact. And all this is welded to a beautifully proportioned palate with plenty of structure, the acidity bright and the mousse animating. Very salty finish that pulls you back for more. A cuvee of 41% chardonnay, 33% pinot noir and 26% pinot meunier. Of these, 15% fermented in oak and 85% in stainless steel. The final blend contained 36% reserve perpetual and 10% reserve wines of the 2012 – 2018 vintage from oak. The dosage is 7 g/l. Drink or hold [into mid-2030s] Score – 94. (Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com, Aug. 7, 2023)