2013 - Louis Roederer, Blanc de Blancs

The 2013 Brut Blanc de Blancs wafts from the glass with aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, warm biscuits, freshly baked bread and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it's the most tightly wound and introverted of these new vintages released from Roederer, and it really needs some time on cork to digest its dosage and develop additional complexity. Seamless and elegant, it's nicely balanced, with fine depth at the core: the only missing ingredient is time.

Roederer’s 2013 Blanc de Blancs is fabulous. A blend taken from the extreme north and south portions of Avize, the 2013 races out of the glass with stunning Chardonnay purity and finesse. Light on its feet, brilliant and full of energy, the 2013 is off the charts gorgeous. Lemon confit, mint and white flowers are some of the nuances that caress the palate. The Blanc de Blancs is bottled with 4 atmospheres of pressure (as opposed to the more common 5-6), which gives softer contours and an extra degree of suppleness. The Blanc de Blancs is one again the under the radar jewel in the Roederer range. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.

Made from 100% Chardonnay, 33% of the 2013 Blanc de Blancs was vinified in oak casks. Malo-lactic fermentation was blocked, and it has a dosage of 8 g/L. Aromas of crunchy yellow apples, fresh pears, and ripe persimmons spill out of the glass with delicate nuances of allspice and almond croisant in the background. The frisky, small-bubbled palate has a compelling sweet and tangy tension supporting the fresh orchard fruit flavors, finishing on a lingering honeyed note. Nicely balanced and delicious in the primary-purity phase, another 5-10 years in bottle should lend a little gravitas.