Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Anderson Valley Brut 2019
When Louis Roederer — one of Champagne’s most prestigious houses — looked to California, they bypassed Napa and Sonoma entirely, heading north to the cool, fog-laced Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. The cooler climate, longer growing season, and distinctive soils of this remote appellation offered something rare: the conditions to make world-class sparkling wine with genuine terroir expression. Roederer Estate has been doing exactly that since 1982, and L’Ermitage is the pinnacle of their work — a tête de cuvée produced only in exceptional years, using the same philosophy that guides Cristal in Champagne.
The 2019 L’Ermitage marks a historic milestone: it is the first vintage of this wine to undergo malolactic fermentation, resulting in a rounder, more immediately expressive style with lower dosage (6 g/L) and an earlier drinking window than previous releases. The blend is 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir, all estate-grown, with 3.9% Chardonnay reserve wine from 2016. Approximately 4.9% was fermented in oak cask with gentle bâtonnage for eight weeks. The wine rested on its lees for four years before disgorgement, followed by an additional seven months of cork aging prior to release.
Liquid gold in the glass, the wine opens with beguiling aromas of quince, fresh stone fruit, citrus blossoms, salt, herbs, and pine forest, with hints of river-rock minerality, sliced pear, and vanilla. The mousse is creamy and light, the palate textured and layered — baked red apple, blood orange zest, white grapefruit, brioche, clove, and sticky caramel — with a mouthwatering, chalky finish of extraordinary length. Drink now through 2035+.
Wine Enthusiast — 100 pts / Cellar Selection
“If sunshine could be bottled it would be this. Aromas of fresh succulent stone fruit, a hint of yeast, citrus blossoms and notes of quince on the nose. The mousse is creamy and light with baked red apples, blood orange zest, white grapefruit, sticky caramel and layered salinity with a mouthwatering finish. It will bring a smile to your lips.” — Tonya Pitts
James Suckling — 97 pts
“Pretty, delicate aromas of salt, herbs and pine forest. A compelling wine that really speaks of place, with fine bubbles that coat the palate before resolving in a finish of citrus oil and resinous herbs. Very fresh, layered, vibrant and medium- to full-bodied, with some wonderful chalkiness at the end.” — Courtney Humiston
Vinous — 96 pts
“A young, potent wine, the 2019 Brut L’Ermitage is shaping up to be the greatest wine ever made at Roederer Estate. Superb.” — Antonio Galloni
Jeb Dunnuck — 95 pts
“A complete, well-integrated, medium-bodied sparkling wine with a balance of fruit and savory notes. Textured and creamy in style, with a lingering brightness on the finish. Should age well over the next 10–15 years.” — Virginie Boone
Karen MacNeil — 95 pts
“Perhaps the most graceful sparkling wine made in California. Beautifully complex as well as refined. Layers of creamy notes are interspersed with a taut crispness. Purity and energy are woven together… a wine of great finesse.”
Wine Spectator — 94 pts
“Dynamic yet elegantly structured, with alluring flavors of Asian pear, baked apple, brioche, clove and nutmeg that build richness on the graceful finish.” — Tim Fish
VinePair — 93 pts
“River-rock minerality on the nose, with hints of sliced pear and vanilla bean. The palate is liquid gold with notes of roasted pear and cream and an elegant mouthfeel.” — Keith Beavers
Blend: 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir (+ 3.9% 2016 reserve Chardonnay)
Appellation: Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California
Vintage: 2019
Format: 750ml | Dosage: 6 g/L
Aging: 4 years on lees + 7 months post-disgorgement
Scores: 100 WE | 97 JS | 96 Vinous | 95 JD | 95 KM | 94 WS | 93 VP
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