The Winners of the 2018 Louis Roederer Wine Writers’ Awards are announced

Last night, in the stunningly refurbished Royal Academy Collections Gallery the winners of the 14th Annual Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards (LRIWWA) were announced to a room crowded with international press and trade personalities.

With a glass of Louis Roederer Brut Premier en Magnum to hand, the guests were warmly welcomed by Richard Billett, MD of Maisons Marques et Domaines who took the opportunity to thank the sponsors for helping make the awards possible, the judges for their time, skill and patience, and of course to wish the shortlisters the very best of luck. The inimitable chairman of the judges, Charles Metcalfe echoed these sentiments emphasising that “everyone was shortlisted because of their exceptional achievements”, with entries that were “beautifully crafted”, “pithy”, “insightful” and “challenging”.

Michael Eldred, the Director of Development at the Royal Academy spoke in glowing terms of the long standing partnership between Louis Roederer and the RA, particularly in this, their 250th year. Michel Janneau of Champagne Louis Roederer and the man responsible for creating the Roederers 14 years ago was speaking from the heart when he said “it is always a night of emotion for me”, especially when he highlighted the continued growth in the number of countries, now at 25, from which the entries are drawn “expanding to wine writers around the world”.

Again, heartfelt thanks go to our generous sponsors without whom these Awards would not be possible: Champagne Louis Roederer, Domaine Faiveley, Domaines Ott*, Ramos Pinto, Pio Cesare, and Marchesi Mazzei.

And thus, it was with an atmosphere of lively anticipation that the evening turned to the nominees for the prestigious Roederer Awards. A full list of the shortlisters and winners, along with one of their winning pieces can be found at here

Champagne Louis Roederer and the 2018 judges are delighted to announce this year’s shortlist and winners along with a link to one of their winning entries as follows:

CHAMPAGNE LOUIS ROEDERER ARTISTRY OF WINE AWARD 2018

Adrian Lander

CHAMPAGNE LOUIS ROEDERER EMERGING WINE WRITER OF THE YEAR 2018

Hannah Fuellenkemper

RAMOS PINTO ONLINE COMMUNICATOR 2018

Tim Atkin MW

PIO CESARE FOOD AND WINE WRITER OF THE YEAR 2018

Dan Keeling

MAZZEI INTERNATIONAL WINE COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR AWARD 2018

Guy Woodward

DOMAINE FAIVELEY INTERNATIONAL WINE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018

The Wandering Vine: Wine, the Romans and Me – Nina Caplan

DOMAINES OTT * INTERNATIONAL FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR 2018

Simon Woolf

CHAIRMAN’S AWARD 2018

Kelli White

#LRIWWA18 #theroederers

Another golden success for Castello Fonterutoli 2015 in DWWA!

The Mazzei family’s vision is to make Castello Fonterutoli the most astounding, pure expression of Chianti Classico. Although the Gran Selezione category was only recently introduced, Mazzei have long been dedicated to strict and meticulous fruit selection from their best vineyard plots for this top cuvée, Castello Fonterutoli, first released in 1995.
In the late 1980s, Filippo and Francesco Mazzei were captivated by the idea of creating a top quality paradigm of Chianti Classico. In order to make Gran Selezione, they had to take a bold decision and discontinue their fist and very successful Super Tuscan, Concerto, as they didn’t have enough Sangiovese plantings back then.
Today their Gran Selezione is the result of over 40 years of the family’s viticultural research and winemaking expertise dating back to 1435.

The judges at Decanter World Wine Awards 2018 awarded Castello di Fonterutoli 2015 with a Golden Medal and 96 points:“Vivid, with a fascinating, herbal-led nose and cherry, plum and oak spice notes. Refreshing and serious palate with spicy oak and polished tannins. Exceptional stuff. Plenty of potential yet.” 96 points

The vintage
“The 2015 vintage was characterised by excellent climatic conditions, which exalted Sangiovese’s quality to the maximum. 2015 has been unanimously described as one of the best vintages of the 21st century.
Our vineyards enjoyed ideal conditions that led to outstanding fruit quality and perfect development of aromatics and polyphenols. Castello Fonterutoli 2015 promises to be harmonious, structured and extraordinarily complex.”
Gionata Pulignani – Technical Director at Mazzei

“It seems that everything is simply outstanding about the 2015 vintage. It’s an excellent year that reminds me of 2007. They were some of the best wines in my red hot summer of tasting in Tuscany”,
James Suckling

Contact Effi Tsournava or your Sales Manager to find out more.

Louis Roederer strike gold at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships

Champagne Louis Roederer are delighted and honoured to have been awarded an unprecedented 11 gold medals at this year’s Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. The Awards, organised by champagne guru Tom Stevenson recognise excellence in sparkling wine from across the world.

This Olympian haul of gold medals is testament to the pioneering work of Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon both in the vineyards, where they are pioneers of organic and biodynamic viticulture, as well as in the cellars where the intricate mosaic of different soils are micro vinified and carefully blended to create a complex yet effortlessly elegant range of wines. Poise, purity and concentration are hallmarks of Champagne Louis Roederer.

The results are as follows:

GOLD:

Louis Roederer 2002 Cristal (magnum)

Louis Roederer 2002 Cristal Rosé (magnum)

Louis Roederer 2008 Cristal

Louis Roederer 2008 Cristal Rosé

Louis Roederer 2009 Cristal (magnum)

Louis Roederer 2009 Cristal Rosé (magnum)

Louis Roederer 2010 Vintage Rosé (magnum)

Louis Roederer 2011 Blanc de Blancs

Louis Roederer 2012 Brut Vintage (magnum)

Louis Roederer 2013 Brut Rosé

Louis Roederer NV Brut Premier (magnum)

2014 Barolo Launch – The Misunderstood Vintage

We are delighted to announce that the 2014 vintage of Barolo has just been launched! The team tried their new releases earlier this year and we were all fascinated by the quality of the vintage that is all about purity of the fruity, energy and impeccable balance! A very classic Barolo vintage that is already drinking beautifully but with great ageing potential, too.

Pio Boffa, fourth generation of Pio Cesare, comments on this misunderstood vintage:
“After the powerful 2013 vintage, 2014 is more balanced and elegant in style. Nevertheless, 2014 is considered a hot vintage. Unlike other regions in Italy that suffered from rain in the summer and into the autumn, the rain in Piedmont only lasted until mid-August and then we had very dry and hot conditions with high day-night temperature difference.
This has been fundamental for the maturation of the delicate Nebbiolo grapes.
We had a very strict and severe green harvest with an even flowering which resulted in excellent quality.
The rainwater accumulated during the summer helped the vineyards with the most southern exposure and the green harvest resulted into very concentrated and fruit-forward wines with intense colour.
Both Barolo and Barbaresco are very elegant, with great energy and balance between acidity and structure with very rich perfumes.
The 2014 vintage is a perfect example of how fundamental the end of the season is in determining the final quality of the grapes and wines.”

James Suckling awarded both wines with fantastic scores:

Pio Cesare Barolo 2014: “Bright and complex with licorice, tar and rose petals. Hints of plums, too. Medium to full body and chewy, round tannins. Plenty of dried meat, spices and berries. A pretty finish. Shows intensity for the vintage. Already very pretty but drink in 2020.”, 94 points

Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 2014: “This is very spicy and fruity with perfumed and bright aromas. Leather, too. medium-bodied, refined and layered with beautiful layered tannins. Fien, polished texture with berry and walnut undertones.”, 95 points

Contact Effi Tsournava to find out more about the 2014 Barolo releases.

Champagne Louis Roederer launched Cristal 2008 in London

Guests were joined on Monday night by Roederer CEO Frédéric Rouzaud and Cellar Master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon to preview the highly acclaimed 2008 vintage of their Prestige Cuvée Cristal.

The 2008 vintage champagne has been lauded by critics, but perhaps none more so than Cristal, a wine described by Jean-Baptiste as “deep, intense and masterful” that has received no less than 3 perfect scores of 100 points. The wine’s “almost saline concentration has not been created by the sun, but is derived from the dryness of the chalk soil in a particularly cool summer”. This coiled, mineral driven intensity is a hallmark of Cristal, a wine renowned for its ethereal and complex reflection of terroir.

Frédéric Rouzaud commented “We are delighted to have previewed Cristal 2008 last night in London. The release of a Cristal vintage is always a memorable moment and none more so than the exceptional 2008, the qualities of which have been beautifully articulated by Chef de Cave, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon and his team at Louis Roederer. The release of the 2008 also comes at an exciting, vibrant and dynamic period for the maison and its prestige cuvée, with the Cristal Vinothèque series making its debut last Autumn and a very limited re-release of Cristal 2002 to be looked forward to later this year.”

Cristal 2008 will be available exclusively at Harrods from 19th June for a limited period before general release.

History of Cristal

Created in 1876 at the behest of Tsar Alexander II, Cristal was the world’s first Cuvée de Prestige. Crafted from Grands Crus from the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs, and the result of a unique savoir-faire and devotion, this rare champagne is the jewel in the Louis Roederer crown.

Symbolic of the perpetual quest for excellence that defines Roederer today under the stewardship of seventh generation owner Frédéric Rouzaud. Cristal is radically different to any other champagne on the market.

At Louis Roederer, the appearance of new vintages gently marks the life of the Champagne House but does not transform it. However, the unveiling of Cristal 2008 last night at in London opens a new chapter in the fascinating life of this flagship cuvée.

2008: A vintage of purity and freshness

Although the vintage alone does not make the wine, it does add its nuances, and the unique character of Cristal 2008 was born from a meeting with its terroir, thanks to the meticulous and dedicated work of Roederer’s wine growers.

The exceptional chalky soils at the origin of this champagne have greatly contributed to the texture and precision of this 2008 which sits among the great vintages for freshness and purity, alongside the 1988 and the 1996.

A late revelation

As the Cristal 2008 showed impressive personality, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master, decided to extend its ageing to ten years. This has endowed this vintage with remarkable maturity and contributed to its surprising and exacting temperament.

Contact Alex Tilling to find out more

The Comtesse is released to great excitement

Yesterday’s release of Pauillac second growth Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is met with great excitement as it offers excellent quality and value Drinks Business reports. Read the full article here

Ramos Pinto LBV 2013 Wins Gold in the DWWA!

Congratulations to Ramos Pinto whose Late Bottled Vintage 2013 has just picked up a Gold Medal and 95 Points at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2018!

The judges described the wine as:

“A ripe, intense, full-flavoured vintage-a-like with rich juicy plums and berries, earthy spice and opulent tannins. Elegant, complex and plenty of wine for the money!”

Contact Christine Allen to find out more about this Gold Medal winning wine.

Domaines Ott* By Ott Wins Gold!

We are delighted to announce that the Domaines Ott* By. Ott Rosé 2017 has been awarded a Gold Medal in the Drinks Business Rosé Global Masters!

The Domaines Ott* By. Ott Rosé became part of the Domaines Ott* range in 2015 and is blended and bottled in the Domaines’ state of the art Château de Selle cellar.

This truly Provencal wine has a pale pink hue with crystalline highlights and a fruity nose with notes of apricot and grapefruit. Crunchy on the palate with a lovely structure supported by fruity and mineral notes, followed by some spicy notes on the finish.

The judges for this year’s competition were:

Patrick Schmitt MW

Patricia Stefanowicz MW

Tobias Gorn

Lauren Eads

Tim Jackson MW

Alistair Cooper MW

Roberto DP

Jonathan Gibson

Andrea Briccarello

Nicola Thomson

Contact Christine Allen to find out more.

Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé 2012 Wins Gold!

We are delighted to announce that the Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Vintage Rosé 2012 has been awarded a Gold Medal in this year’s Drinks Business Global Rosé Masters!

The judging panel for The Global Rosé Masters 2018 was:

Patrick Schmitt MW
Patricia Stefanowicz MW
Tobias Gorn
Lauren Eads
Tim Jackson MW
Alistair Cooper MW
Roberto DP
Jonathan Gibson
Andrea Briccarello
Nicola Thomson

Contact the Louis Roederer Brand Manager Alex Tilling to find out more about this award winning wine.

Reserve de la Comtesse rated as one of the best value wines of Bordeaux 2017

The Drinks Business, reporting on the best value wines of Bordeaux 2017 according to the Liv-ex survey which canvases its 400 global members with the aim to get a steer on what are considered ‘the ‘best’ wines, those tipped to be (with any luck) the ‘best value’, where the vintage ranks against its recent peers and expected demand from customers etc.’ They report that ‘Pichon Comtesse …can hardly seem to put a foot wrong’ and this quality is having a ‘trickle down effect on their second labels’

to read the full article click here

Search MMD