# Collection 244 (NV)

- **Producer:** Louis Roederer
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €80
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, pear, lemon, red cherry, apple, biscuit, brioche, pastry, butter, honey, almond

## About this wine

Louis Roederer Collection 244 is a non-vintage Brut Champagne from the esteemed Louis Roederer house, a family-run estate with a history dating back to 1776. This cuvée represents a new approach to non-vintage winemaking, focusing on the expression of each harvest blended with a Perpetual Reserve. The grapes are sourced exclusively from Louis Roederer's own Grand and Premier Cru vineyards located across the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, and Côte des Blancs, regions renowned for producing Champagne of exceptional quality. The 2019 vintage, which forms the primary component of this blend, was characterized by warm and dry conditions, leading to grapes with notable maturity and freshness.

## Interesting facts

- Collection 244 is the 244th blend since Louis Roederer's founding in 1776.
- The Perpetual Reserve, a key component, has been continuously replenished since 2012.
- All grapes are sourced from 100% Grand & Premier Cru vineyards.
- The house owns 240 hectares of vineyards.

## Food pairing

The wine's bright acidity cuts through the richness of creamy sauces and fatty proteins, while its complexity complements the subtle flavors of seafood and poultry. The chalky minerality can echo the salinity of oysters.

## Wine making process

Louis Roederer Collection 244 is crafted through a meticulous blending process. The base wine is primarily from the 2019 harvest, complemented by 36% from the Perpetual Reserve (wines from 2012-2018) and 10% of reserve wines aged in oak. A small portion of the 2019 harvest was vinified in wood. Approximately 35% of the wines undergo malolactic fermentation. The Champagne is aged for almost four years in the producer's cellars, with three years spent on lees, before disgorgement. This process aims to create a wine that balances the freshness of the current vintage with the complexity and depth of older reserve wines.