Tasting Notes
“Bright, golden hue with shimmering highlights. Fine, lively mousse with lingering threads of bubbles. The bouquet is open and rich yet also wonderfully fresh. It offers an explosion of ripe, delicate fruit with intense notes of yellow fruit (mirabelle plum) from the Pinot noir complemented by sweet citrus fruits (lemon meringue pie) and delicate notes of white flowers (jasmine) from the Chardonnay. The nose opens up to reveal autolytic characters and evolves towards smoky, roasted notes and freshly baked pastries. The palate is deep and dense with a big, well-structured backbone. The texture is simply mesmerising with its fleshy mouthfeel from the Pinot noir that coats the palate before giving way to an incredible saline freshness with a pleasant hint of bitterness. This wine combines the strength, intensity and power of the delectably ripe Pinot noirs which are balanced to perfection by the chalky freshness and density from the Chardonnay which forms the majority of the blend. Collection has all its warmth and generosity thanks to the perfect ripeness of the fruit harvested in the 2018 vintage, yet it is the freshness, energy and complexity of the ‘Réserve Perpétuelle’ created in 2012, as well as the texture imparted by the oak ageing, that extend and elongate the wines’ body resulting in unrivalled finesse and persistence.”
Vintage Notes
“2018 was a warm, continental and truly unique vintage. Summer set many new records in terms of heat, drought and sunshine levels. The Pinot noirs displayed a luxurious texture whilst the Chardonnays were dense and saline where harvested at perfect ripeness and the Meuniers were intensely fruity. The harvests began on 27 August and ended on 8 September.”
94 points James Suckling – “Dried-lemon, apricot, green-apple, salted-almond, walnut and light caramel notes. Vinous and layered, with small and tight bubbles. Excellent focus and intensity. Based on 2018, with reserve wines going back to 2009. Dosage 8g/L. Drink now. (8/8/22)”
93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous) – “The NV Collection 243 is bright, punchy and wonderfully effusive, the 243 really shows the more vibrant style Roederer is going for with their new entry-level NV bottling. Citrus peel white, flowers, mint, slate and a host of saline notes build nicely. This is impressive, to say the least. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Drink: 2022-2032. (May 2022)”
93 points Jeb Dunnuck – “The NV Champagne Collection 243 Brut is the third release and is based on the 2018 vintage, with the addition of 30% of the perpetual reserve started in 2012 and 10% reserve wine that has been aged in oak. It is ripe and balanced, with yellow flowers, honeycomb, and plum, and it has elegant concentration and underlying tension, precise mousse, and rich salinity, with lingering notes of croissant and delicate smoke. This will be an exciting wine in the range to follow. Drink 2022-2037. Drink: 2022-2037. (11/7/22)”
92 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – “Based on the 2018 vintage and complemented by reserve wines from a solera established in 2012, as well as younger foudre-aged reserve wines, Roederer’s newly released NV Brut Collection 243 is a pillowy, enveloping Champagne evocative of crisp stone fruits, honeycomb, white flowers and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and generous, with an ample core of fruit, bright acids and a saline finish, it will offer demonstrative drinking on release. Drink: 2021-2035. (Aug 2022)”
92 points Wine Spectator – “[$70 list] A vibrant Champagne that’s fine and creamy on the palate, almost plush, but bright and well-balanced throughout. Reveals a chalky base note that underscores layers of ripe pear and nectarine fruit, mandarin orange peel, oyster shell and chamomile. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Drink now. (12/15/22)”
91 points Wine & Spirits – “[$70 list] The second release of Roederer’s Brut Collection is based on the 2018 vintage, working with both estate and contracted fruit. The blend includes a contribution from a perpetual reserve established in 2012 (31 percent) as well as oak-aged reserves (10 percent). One taster described the clarity of the color as yellow topaz, while the flavors work in ginger, lemon and pale chalk. Generous and savory. (Dec 2022)”
