- Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon, Roederer cellarmaster

2007 is a Champagne vintage of the modern era. A warm spring was followed by a cool summer with some dramatic and intense rain events, but autumn was superb and made perfectly ripe grapes. In recent years, ripening has been more complete than in the past and this is reflected in a much lowered dosage from 12g/L down to 9g/L. There is a small but significant increase in the proportion of Chardonnay used. Like 2004, 2007 Cristal will drink young but has the ability to develop great complexity over a number of years. Already it is a wonderful synthesis of flower, fruit and seabed minerality.

Despite the fact that Roederer's Champagnes are made in faraway north-east France, many conflate the Bordeaux vintage with everywhere else in a given year. In fact Champagne has more in common with Burgundy, which turned out very nice thank you in 2007 - especially the whites. Though there was some slightly panicky early picking in the region, most growers waited and the end of August and September made the vintage. /CW

Offered subject to remaining unsold; available autumn 2015