Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2012 (France)

Description

Golden yellow with soft amber tints in the glass, offering a very bright and gentle sparkle visible throughout the wine. The subtle bouquet, on the first nose, opens out gradually to reveal spring-like notes of fresh citrus fruit (lemon tree rather than lemon fruit) combined with warm, almost smoky, mineral aromas, followed by notes of lightly toasted almonds, one of the signs of the ageing in oak foudres. The wine is wide, energetic and with talc-like chalkiness initially, gently coating the palate. It is both soft and rich with a full-bodied, silky mouthfeel. The finish is long and persistent.

2012 was one of the most challenging and complicated years ever experienced in Champagne. Yet difficult conditions often leads to great things… The low yields, due to the vagaries
of weather, combined with continental conditions towards the end of the season, gave us unusual levels of maturity, resulting in rich, full-bodied and structured wines worthy of the greatest vintages in Champagne.