Brut Nature 2018 Louis Roederer et Philippe Starck

Professionele reviews

Jancis Robinson (16.50)

A cuvée created in 2006 after Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO of Louis Roederer, discovered that Philippe Starck and his wife drank a magnum of Brut Nature (Drappier initially) a day. They decided to create something together with chef de cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. It's based on a single 10-ha vineyard, Les Chèvres, in Cumières, certified organic in 2004, with no dosage and no blending. They see it as 'the lab of climate change’ as they make it only in hot, dry years. So far they have made a 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015 and this 2018 but there will also be a 2020 and 2022. The vineyard faces east, south and west and is now planted with a field blend of all seven varieties permitted in Champagne, although the Arbane and Petit Meslier are not yet mature enough to produce. There's 1% of Pinot Blanc in this 2018. All grapes were picked in four hours on 2 September and co-fermented. Apparently all varieties ripen at same time in a hot, dry vintage. Just 5, cf the usual 6, bar pressure because they want 'creamier bubbles'. The 2018 is 54% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay and 1% Pinot Blanc. A third was oak-fermented and there was no malo. No label just engraving on the bottle for the 2018. They wanted no foil but apparently a foil is mandatory for champagne.
Smells positively rich! Though it’s notably dry, even drying, on the palate. Quite smoky and reduced and slightly hard work for the moment though it should mellow with time in bottle. (JR)