For Frédéric Rouzaud, president of Louis Roederer, the future of fine wine belongs to “wines of place”: bottles with a strong identity that stay instantly recognizable, are lighter in alcohol, and pair easily with the cuisines of a globalized world.
In an interview with WineNews, held in Brusaporto at the historic three-Michelin-star restaurant Da Vittorio, he argued that Champagne fits this profile almost perfectly.
A Double Anniversary
Louis Roederer was founded in 1776 and turns 250 this year. Cristal, its most celebrated cuvée, marks its 150th anniversary. The two milestones were celebrated in Italy with a dinner at Da Vittorio, the restaurant of the Cerea family.
Roederer is also the centerpiece of a wider group, the Roederer Collection. It includes Champagne Deutz, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Château de Pez in Bordeaux, Delas Frères in the Rhône, Domaines Ott in Provence, Ramos Pinto in the Douro, several California estates, and Domaine Pierre Damoy in Burgundy, its latest acquisition. In total, the group counts 13 wineries and 1,100 hectares of vineyards.
What Makes Cristal an Icon
Rouzaud describes Cristal as a wine “of the estate” and “of soil,” made only from the maison’s own vineyards, acquired by Roederer in the nineteenth century. It comes exclusively from Grand Cru sites on chalk ridges, from vines averaging 40 years of age, blending Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Several choices set it apart:
- Only in exceptional vintages: in other years, it is simply not produced.
- Long ageing: it is released eight years after harvest, and up to ten for Vinothèque editions.
- Historic origins: it was first created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia.
- No marketing: Rouzaud says Cristal has never been marketed, and that the maison has instead poured its values, expertise and time into the wine, always in limited quantities.
After the 1917 Revolution, when Russia stopped buying Cristal, the house developed other markets.
Optimism in a Difficult Market
Champagne, like many wine regions, has seen sales slow in recent years. Yet with annual revenues of around €6 billion, according to Comité Champagne data, it is far from alarmed. Rouzaud acknowledges the headwinds, from economic difficulty in Europe to tariffs and conflicts, but argues that Champagne simply reflects the wider economy. He recalls that when his great-grandmother Camille took over the house in 1932, in the aftermath of the Great Depression, Champagne houses faced bankruptcy. They survived, and he notes with a smile that they have not gone bankrupt yet.
His reasons for confidence are concrete:
- Chalk soils with no equal in the world.
- A northern climate that still yields fresh, moderate-alcohol wines despite global warming.
- Quality: in his view, Champagne wines have never been so good, partly thanks to climate change.
- Versatility: an aperitif at five in the afternoon, a gastronomic wine, a gift, a celebration.
Lighter Styles and “Bubbles of Salt”
Rouzaud sees climate change as, paradoxically, favorable to Champagne, since it encourages a lighter style of eating and drinking. He notes a growing preference for fresher wines, while red wines have generally become higher in alcohol and harder to drink once they climb past about 13.5%. Champagne, being a white wine served chilled, keeps its balance.
He also points to the vineyards themselves: planted at 10,000 vines per hectare, with low yields per vine, they produce highly concentrated grapes. Combined with a distinctive salinity, which he calls “bubbles of salt,” this creates what he describes as an extraordinary balance, concentrated yet almost ethereal.
Conclusion
Rouzaud’s message is that Champagne is not merely a historic wine but an exceptionally modern one. Its freshness, versatility and sense of place line up with where consumer taste is heading, and that is why he looks to the future with confidence.
Source: WineNews