Louis Roederer Brut Vintage Rosé 2017

A seductive, balanced and silky champagne rosé with aromas of apricot skins, mirabelles and stones, together with a touch of baking spices. In control and well balanced, with an attractive texture. Harmonious with fine bubbles and a laser-focused finish. Drink or hold.

Vineyards in Cumières, facing the Marne Valley, are the source of this ripe, full and balanced Champagne. The fruit of one year, with an aroma of roses and a rich, vibrant palate, the wine is opulent and full. Drink now. — Roger Voss

ncorporating “the survivors of 2017,” as Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon notes, Roederer’s 2017 Brut Vintage Rosé is a fine effort in a year that was particularly challenging for red grapes, which were pressured by gray rot come harvest time. Heavily based on Pinot Noir, with fruit carefully selected during picking in Cumières, complemented by Chardonnay sourced from Chouilly, it offers a bouquet of strawberries, candied orange zest and spices. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, textural and ample, with a delicate infusion of Pinot Noir phenolics, vibrant acidity and a sapid finish. Disgorged with eight grams per liter dosage, it does not quite match the precision of its immediate predecessor.