Champagne Louis Roederer and Philippe Starck unveil Brut Nature 2018
A sunny and pared-down new edition of this champagne, Louis Roederer’s visionary response to climate change.
For nearly 20 years, Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO of the Louis Roederer Champagne House, Cellar
Master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, and designer Philippe Starck have worked together on a singular
creation: Brut Nature, a pure, zero-dosage champagne born from the black soils of Cumières.
The fifth cuvée in this one-of-a-kind champagne, a veritable “laboratory” for the future of the
Champagne region in the context of climate change, was unveiled yesterday at Révélations, the
International Biennial of Crafts and Creation, in the presence of its three creators. A sponsor of the
event since its inception, Champagne Louis Roederer is again partnering the Biennial as it returns
to its original venue, the Grand Palais in Paris.
FORGING THE FUTURE WITH THE WISDOM OF THE PAST
Brut Nature draws its extraordinary natural vibrations from the clay soils of Cumières. This sunlit, 10- hectare hillside vineyard on the banks of the Marne has always produced opulent grapes with an unmistakable fragrance, generous richness, and a beautiful contrast between salinity and intensity of the fruit.
This zero-dosage champagne is produced only in hot, dry years (2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018) when the ripening conditions are exceptional. These years allow the Louis Roederer team to explore the effects of weather patterns that will soon become the everyday norm in the Champagne region.
“Brut Nature is the showcase of our most innovative experiments of the last 20 years, a laboratory
that has also allowed us to rediscover certain traditional and sometimes forgotten skills, such as
knowing how to bring out the best in the original Champagne grape varieties or the practice of
complantation. Vintage after vintage, this champagne charts a path that reflects the transformations
reshaping both our region and our craft.” Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master
TWO EXPRESSIONS OF THE SAME TERROIR
Brut Nature 2018 is born from a free-spirited vision, which is unafraid to explore and experiment in
the face of the challenges posed by climate change. Shaped by a sunny, continental vintage, it
immediately asserts its natural presence.
This new, sunny, pared-down opus is a powerful expression of the richness of the soil and the
preserved mineral tension.
The Brut Nature 2018 White boasts a seductive velvety density, saline freshness and brilliant
balance.
The Brut Nature 2018 Rosé shows an impressive juicy structure, lovely bright aromas and a
delicately spicy finish.
A LANGUAGE OF TRUST
Brut Nature reaffirms its unique, contemporary personality with ever greater clarity with each new
vintage -undoubtedly because it is rooted in a true human story that also unfolds with the seasons
and the years.
Since their first conversation in 2003, the relationship between Philippe Starck, Frédéric Rouzaud
and Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon has only grown stronger. Over the vintages, they have developed a
unique understanding, nurtured by honest dialogue, a shared vision and creative instinct. The wine
was created as a tangible and poetic response to this language of trust.
“With Philippe Starck, we have created an exacting and honest collaborative work of art, one that
invites you to see and taste the Champagne region differently. With its great clarity and depth, the
Brut Nature 2018 is one of its finest chapters.” Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO of the Louis Roederer
Champagne House
ELEGANT SIMPLICITY
Philippe Starck’s design choices for Brut Nature 2018 reflect the authenticity, clarity and depth of its
singular creation story.
“Brut Nature is so honest, so minimal, that I didn’t want to add anything to it. I wanted to do as little
as possible with it. Nothing but the truth and honesty of the wine.” Philippe Starck
Taking simplicity and authenticity to new heights, the creator has designed a bottle without a label,
with just “a few words etched on the glass of the bottle, purely descriptive, like a cellar note” and a
shortened capsule. This deliberately minimal visual language expresses the truth of the terroir and
the humility of the craft.
Each champagne is presented in its own gift box bathed in earthy tones: a warm beige for Brut
Nature White and a beige-pink terracotta for Brut Nature Rosé. These soft, natural shades are
beautifully elevated by the addition of a shimmering silver. Opening the box reveals the bottle set in
an elegant yet minimalist presentation, free of superfluous detail – a celebration of the essential,
reflecting the harmony between man, nature and wine