For the fifth year, Champagne Louis Roederer has been named as the "World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand" for the 2024 edition of the Drinks International Awards, marking an unprecedented history for a Champagne brand.
The family-run Champagne House headed by Frédéric Rouzaud is delighted and humbled to receive this prestigious award for the fifth year in a row, calling it "a fantastic recognition of the dedication and hard work of the Roederer team, both in the vineyards and in the cellars".
The award, announced on March 5, reflects the global admiration for Louis Roederer’s dedication to producing high-quality champagnes. Giles Fallowfield, who oversees the awards, highlighted Louis Roederer’s blend of traditional craftsmanship with forward-thinking practices, particularly praising their adaptation to climate change with the creation of the multi-vintage cuvée Collection 242.
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Roederer’s Cellar Master, noted the shift in viticulture practices due to earlier harvests and the pursuit of fresher, healthier fruit. "All the rules we learned at school are irrelevant; we are having to relearn and question many things to create a champagne of freshness," Lécaillon remarked, emphasizing the brand’s resilience and innovation in response to changing environmental conditions.
The judging panel, comprising esteemed wine industry figures such as sommeliers, retail buyers, importers, Masters of Wine, writers, and journalists, based their decision on several criteria. These included the quality and consistency of the wine, brand strategy coherence, market value, respect within the industry, and overall brand strength.
Founded in 1776, Louis Roederer remains a beacon of luxury and quality in the Champagne industry under the leadership of Frédéric Rouzaud. The house is committed to sustainable viticulture, with 135 of its 250 hectares of vineyards certified organic. Beyond its flagship champagnes, Louis Roederer and Cristal, the group owns several prestigious estates worldwide, all united under the Roederer Collection banner.
Source: Natalie Wang (Vino Joy)