Louis Roederer Collection 244 Brut MV 1500ml

This 244th blend from the Louis Roederer Champagne House is based on the finest successes of the 2019 harvest, a year of record-breaking temperatures brought by particularly intense heat waves. Dry and continental and of magnificent maturity, this year gave us wines that were dense and fresh, with a masterful balance, conducive to bringing out the powerful and luscious Collection character in the blend.

All the wines from this harvest were rigorously tasted, plot by plot, before being blended in a complex symphony recreating the perfect picture of the vintage.

Winemaker notes

Aged for almost 4 years in our cellars, Collection 244 is a wine that has reached great plenitude, borne by the maturity of the year, the freshness of the Perpetual Reserve and the complexity of the oak-aged reserve wines. It is a wonderfully well-balanced champagne with an incredibly luscious power, marking the return of the Meunier grape variety, which adds a fruity, caressing softness to the more structured, saline Pinots noirs and Chardonnays.

Collection 244

Wine Advocate 93+: Based on the 2019 vintage, Roederer's NV Brut Collection 244 is the finest release of the house's reimagined non-vintage Brut to date. Offering up aromas of pear, peach and nectarine mingled with notions of white flowers, beeswax, freshly baked bread and buttery pastry, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with a pretty pinpoint mousse, racy acids and a long, chalky finish. The quality of the base vintage really shines through.

James Suckling 94: 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.

Decanter 93: The powerful, ripe side of 2019 is on shown here, with white peach and mandarin flavours held in place by the toasty, savoury citrus oil snap of the perpetual reserve. Still feels youthful and fragrant with juicy pear, blossom and almond notes. Will show even better with another six months. 41% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 26% Meunier. 54% from the 2019 base vintage, with 36% perpetual reserve and 10% reserve wines in oak.

Vinous 93: The NV Collection 244 is gorgeous. Bright and focused, with a lovely cut, the 244 is immediately captivating. Dried pear, chamomile, herbs, mint and crushed rocks abound. Based on the 2019 vintage with 36% perpetual reserve wines from vintages 2012-2018, this vibrant, wonderfully crystalline Champagne impresses from beginning to end. Saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. Dosage is 7 grams per liter.

Wine Enthusiast 93: The latest iteration of Roederer's nonvintage collection, this is tense with a fine aging character. It has richness and great fruit, a fine line of structure at the end. Drink now.

Collection 243

Wine Advocate 92: Based on the 2018 vintage and complemented by reserve wines from a solera established in 2012, as well as younger foudre-aged reserve wines, Roederer's newly released NV Brut Collection 243 is a pillowy, enveloping Champagne evocative of crisp stone fruits, honeycomb, white flowers and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and generous, with an ample core of fruit, bright acids and a saline finish, it will offer demonstrative drinking on release.

James Suckling 94: Dried-lemon, apricot, green-apple, salted-almond, walnut and light caramel notes. Vinous and layered, with small and tight bubbles. Excellent focus and intensity. Based on 2018, with reserve wines going back to 2009. Dosage 8g/L. Drink now.

Vinous 93: The NV Collection 243 is bright, punchy and wonderfully effusive, the 243 really shows the more vibrant style Roederer is going for with their new entry-level NV bottling. Citrus peel white, flowers, mint, slate and a host of saline notes build nicely. This is impressive, to say the least. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.

Decanter 93: A crystalline and pure nose full of bright lemon, chamomile, green apple and soft honeysuckle. Crisp and dry, with racy acidity and tiny bubbles that lift the palate straight away. Mouthwatering but light and so fine in terms of texture with a chalky, long and softly salty finish. This really makes you want another glass straight away. A perfect aperitif wine still with lots of juice and fruity flavours but crisp and totally refreshing. The majority of this blend comes from the 2018 vintage.