Louis Roederer

When he inherited the Champagne House in 1833, the aesthete and entrepreneur Louis Roederer took a visionary approach to enriching his vines, aiming to master every stage of the wine’s creation. He forged the wine’s unique style, character, and taste. In the mid-nineteenth century, Louis Roederer acquired some of Champagne’s grand cru vineyards—an approach that contrasted sharply with contemporary practices. While other Houses bought their grapes, Louis Roederer nurtured his vineyards, familiarized himself with the specific characteristics of each parcel, and methodically acquired the finest land. Louis Roederer’s guiding principle was that all great wine depends on the quality of the soil, a passion for tradition, and an astute vision of the future; the fame and reputation of the House of Louis Roederer was firmly established.

In the 1920s, the future heir to the House of Louis Roederer, Léon Olry-Roederer consecrated his efforts to creating a highly balanced wine—a consistent and delicate blend of several vintages, to ensure that the wine would always be of the highest quality. This wine would form the basis for the later Brut Premier. This fine blend greatly contributed to the renaissance of the House of Louis Roederer.

After his death, from 1933 onwards, the winery was managed by his strong-minded widow, Camille, who ran the Champagne House with formidable intelligence and singular dynamism…Her grandson, Jean-Claude Rouzaud, an oenologist and agronomist, took over the running of the entire estate and decided to consolidate the vineyards. Through his passionate commitment to the metier of wine-growing, he cultivated more than ever the inventive qualities that are so representative of the House’s philosophy. The Louis Roederer House has remained an independent, family-owned company and is now managed by Jean-Claude’s son, Frédéric Rouzaud, who represents the seventh generation of the lineage. (http://www.louis-roederer.com)