Louis Roederer : Rosé Vintage 2017

Incorporating “the survivors of 2017,” as Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon notes, Roederer’s 2017 Brut Vintage Rosé is a fine effort in a year that was particularly challenging for red grapes, which were pressured by gray rot come harvest time. Heavily based on Pinot Noir, with fruit carefully selected during picking in Cumières, complemented by Chardonnay sourced from Chouilly, it offers a bouquet of strawberries, candied orange zest and spices. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, textural and ample, with a delicate infusion of Pinot Noir phenolics, vibrant acidity and a sapid finish. Disgorged with eight grams per liter dosage, it does not quite match the precision of its immediate predecessor.