Roederer Estate "L'Ermitage" Brut 2019
(Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California) - [WE 100] [VM 96] [JD 95] [WS 94]

About the Winery:
Founded in 1982, Roederer Estate is nestled in Mendocino County’s fog-shrouded, Anderson Valley. As the California property of Champagne Louis Roederer, Roederer Estate builds upon a centuries-old tradition of fine winemaking. The premium grape growing region's proximity to the ocean gives rise to a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing grapes to mature slowly on the vine and develop full varietal character.
L’Ermitage, Roederer Estate’s special tête de cuvée, is a sparkling wine made only in exceptional years from pre-selected, estate-grown grapes. Carrying on the tradition of Champagne Louis Roederer in France, Roederer Estate produces its sparkling wines in the French méthode traditionelle and adds special oak-aged reserve wines to each blend. L’Ermitage debuted with the 1989 vintage.

Winemaking:
Roederer Estate wines are made with juice from just the cuvée pressing; no première or deuxième taille is used. The concept of the vintage L’Ermitage is the same one that is used in Champagne: only the best of the vintage is selected. These are exceptional wines that create a “noble” blend that allows for longer aging, which produces a fine wine with elegance and finesse.

2019 L’Ermitage represents a milestone for the tête de cuvée as the first vintage of these wines to go through malolactic fermentation. The pH range is close to that of 2006, which was revered for its smoothness, making it a less classic, taut L’Ermitage and calling for a lower dosage, as well as an early release and drinking window. About 4.9% of the wine was fermented in oak cask, with gentle batonnage for eight weeks. The wine used for the dosage is a 2019 aged in oak cask for four years. Following disgorgement, 2019 L’Ermitage was aged an additional seven months on the cork prior to release.

Tasting Notes: 
Vintage 2019 features aromas of quince paste and light pastry crust. The entry is bright and textured midpalate. A mouthwatering finish is highlighted by pear skin and an even, creamy texture.

Technical Info:

Varietals: 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir, 3.9% Chardonnay from vintage 2016

Wine Alcohol: 13.2% Residual

Sugar: 6 g/L

Cases Produced: 3,649

Ratings & Reviews

100 Points, Cellar Selection - Wine Enthusiast:
"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 (Sep 2025)

96 Points - Vinous:
A young, potent wine, the 2019 Brut L'Ermitage is shaping up to be the greatest wine ever made at Roederer Estate. The aromatics are beguiling, but the 2019 is going to need a number of years to settle down. Readers will have to be patient. The 2019 is seriously impressive, but it needs time. It is the only wine in this series that was vinified with full malolactic fermentation and has the most lots fermented in wood here. It also saw the lowest dosage ever here, at 6 grams per liter. These choices look to be a winning approach for the future. Superb. Disgorged: February 2024.

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2019 Brut L'Ermitage blends 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir, all estate grown from one growing season, with 3.9% Chardonnay from the 2016 vintage, and a dosage of 6 grams per liter. A complete, well-integrated, medium-bodied sparkling wine with a balance of fruit and savory notes, it offers flecks of oak spice and pastry crust. Textured and creamy in style, it has a lingering brightness on the finish and should age well over the next 10-15 years." - Virginie Boone (Feb 2025)

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Dynamic yet elegantly structured, with alluring flavors of Asian pear, baked apple, brioche, clove and nutmeg that build richness on the graceful finish. Drink now through 2027. 4,850 cases made." - Tim Fish (Jun 2025)