Champagne Brut
Vignoble de "la Montagne" Late Release Vintage Magnum 1996

The Champagne Vignoble de la Montagne Late Release Vintage by Louis Roederer is a unique and rare edition, born from an uncommon choice in the world of Champagne. The term *“Late Release”* refers to a delayed release strategy, whereby a small portion of the bottles is intentionally held back and allowed to rest for an even longer period before being released to the market. Produced from carefully selected grapes sourced from parcels in two prestigious Grand Cru villages—the Pinot Noir of Verzy, on the Montagne de Reims, and the Chardonnay of Chouilly, in the Côte des Blancs—this cuvée reflects the singular character of its vintage. Each harvest, shaped by its own climatic conditions, imparts unique and unrepeatable nuances to the wine, creating a Champagne that is consistently elegant while expressing a distinctive personality in every vintage.

This edition, L.R. Vintage 1996, is composed of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. Vinification includes 7% oak-aged wines, which enhance its complexity and structure, along with 20% malolactic fermentation. After bottling, the wine matured on its lees for more than 15 years and received a final dosage of 9 g/L to complete its profile. Following disgorgement, it was then stored for approximately 11 years in the Maison’s cellars under ideal conditions of darkness, temperature, and humidity, benefiting from an extended period of cellar aging.

On the palate, Vignoble de la Montagne Vintage 1996 reveals all the captivating charm of a great wine with a smoky and subtly iodine-like character, recalling the bouquet of the noble and complex reductive notes found in the finest northern white wines. Concentrated, fresh, and dynamic, the palate delivers an extraordinary sense of salinity intertwined with notes of orange peel and a chalky texture, while the wine lingers gracefully on saline and white pepper nuances, remaining delightfully juicy and refined through its long finish.