Roederer brings us another serious bargain in a vintage tete de cuvee styled sparkler — it’s priced competitive with most non-vintage Champagne, and it’s a step above most. Only bottled in years that merit, the 2009 is looking at years of life ahead. It’s currently showing apple, pear and brioche aromas and flavors with notes of nut, toffee and ginger delicately providing complexity that will deepen with extended aging. It’s very zesty on the finish, where mixed citrus rides scouring acidity, leaving a lasting impression that will continue to integrate the other elements in time. I’ve had the pleasure to taste most vintages of this wine at different stages going back to the first — the 1989 — and I’ve never been disappointed.
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County, California) 2009
By Rich Cook