This is great Champagne- and perhaps one of the best values for money in any category of wine. Louis Roederer has been pushing quality like few others in the region over the last decade, and no wine shows the heights that they have reached as well as the Brut Premier. With massive investment in organic viticulture, including a massive purchase of 1er vineyards from Leclerc-Briant, a return to plowing in the vineyard instead of chemical treatment and obsession with every detail in the winery they have created something here that has no rival among the big names, especially at this price. The 1/3 of the fruit that they buy comes from growers like Benoit Marguet- so you know they are getting top stuff. While most of my time is spent advocating for single origin Champagnes, this bottle is a great argument for blending and the balance that cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon created here is second to none. This wine has a great brioche nose and plenty of vivacious sparkle. It is a perfect aperitif!

This is one of my favorite Grand Marque houses and this particular champagne has great quality and is also a really good value. Toasty nose, with rich fruit. On the palate, golden apples and cream with a finish of bright, yet subtle, acidity. A really lovely champagne that works well on its own or with a meal. Update-12/2/2020. Eight years since I reviewed this?! Get on the ball, Scott. After 8 years, the quality of this bottling has gone up exponentially. More white-fruited, with floral scents and cream. Citrus and dry cherry fruit on the palate, with minerals, cream and a hint of toast. Elegant and a bit too easy to drink! This house is consistently upgrading its wines, so it's a win-win situation.

A beautiful, textural, classic champagne for all audiences. Plenty of crisp refreshment, balanced by a rich, yeasty undercurrent from long, patient time spent aging on the lees. Organic and biodynamically farmed-- always good to see the big houses set precedent for such trends. Creamy and broad on the palate, with notes of lemon curd, and a pleasant mineral finish.