A deep, broad bouquet of ripe fruit (wild peaches, William pears) combined with citrus (lemons, blood oranges).  The iodised and smoky notes, associated with the autolysis and the aging in wood, add aromatic freshness. Then come notes of chalk and a hint of reduction, suggesting that the wine will be concentrated and powerful.

The entry to the palate is delicious showing a rich and robust texture.  We have a very juicy and concentrated sensation as if we were biting into a ripe fruit.  The substance is caressingly soft, coating the palate but is then immediately lightened by the delicate bubbles.  The length is created by a lovely backbone of chalky freshness. The wine is both delectably rich, with a slightly roasted character, and super fresh thanks to a salivating finish.  The smoky notes then take over to underpin a very flavoursome finish.

With each new harvest, the thought process continues and becomes more uninhibited, to express the character of the year in a new creation, to craft a very fine multi-vintage champagne for gastronomy, endowed with a remarkable capacity for cellar ageing.

Louis Roederer's 245th blend takes advantage of a particularly remarkable 2020 harvest: a dry, continental year of perfect maturity that produced juicy, well-structured, aromatic grapes, resulting in dense, full-bodied wines with a perfect balance of substance and freshness. Collection 245 therefore offers us a complex symphony in a wine of remarkably generous and flavourful intensity.

Made up of 55% of the 2020 harvest, Collection 245 is an ode to taste and drinking pleasure. Each year, the Cellar Master composes a new symphony, inspired by the tonalities of the year and then adds the wines from the Perpetual Reserve and the oak-aged reserve wines.

The Perpetual Reserve makes up 35% of the Collection 245 blend providing balance and freshness. In parallel with the Perpetual Reserve, a significant proportion of wines from previous years and young plots on the Cristal estate, aged in French oak foudres, are added to the blend. These Reserve wines are Louis Roederer's signature and make up 10% of the Collection 245 blend.

The dry, continental year of 2019 broke all previous temperature records in a succession of scorching heatwaves. Moderate yields and magnificent maturity resulted in wines that were dense and fresh.

Champagne Louis Roederer was established in 1776 and is now run by the 7th generation of the family, Frédéric Rouzaud. With over 240 hectares of vineyards located exclusively in Grands and Premiers Crus villages, Champagne Louis Roederer is self-sufficient for approximately 70% of their non-vintage production and 100% of their vintage champagnes.

Pioneers in sustainable farming, Louis Roederer use organic practices in all their vineyards, and are certified organic in 115 ha, with the remainder of the estate in conversion.  The whole estate uses biodynamic practices and is inspired by the concepts of permaculture.  Working hand in hand with nature, respecting terroir and the pursuit of taste underpins everything they do.

Aged for nearly 4 years in our cellars, Collection 245 is a complex champagne that has reached great plenitude. Perfect with gastronomy, this champagne is endowed with obvious cellar-ageing potential. The maturity and balance of the vintage year, the freshness of the Perpetual Reserve and the complexity of the oak-aged Reserve wines result in an impressive density of fruit, releasing complex flavours of citrus and yellow fruit; pure, intense notes nuanced by a hint of smoke.