1985 Louis Roederer Champagne Vintage Brut

Community Tasting Notes (2) Median Score: 89 points

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  9/22/2022 - forceberry wrote: 89 Points

  12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
  
  Pale amber color. Evolved, savory nose with quite tertiary aromas of chopped nuts, some bruised apple, light bready notes of autolysis, light leesy tones, a sweeter hint of juicy yellow fruits and an oxidative touch of sorrel. The wine feels very dry and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with a sparse yet still surprisingly lively mousse and evolved flavors of bruised Granny Smith apple, some salty mineral tones, a little bit of chalk dust, light autolytic notes of bread and a hint of mineral water. Bright, high acidity. The finish is dry, long and aged with flavors of mineral water, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light autolytic notes of French bread, a hint of almost unripe yellow fruit and a touch of tangy salinity.
  
  A tasty but also somewhat austere and a bit oxidative old Champagne. The wine still retains quite a bit of life as it isn't fully oxidative in character and it retains still a sparse yet still remarkably vital mousse. However, there is relatively little in the way of fruit and the overall feel is a bit one-note. I do love Champagnes once they get old enough, turning nutty and vinous, yet retaining their fizzy Champenois core. However, this wasn't that memorable an effort in the end - especially when this bottle was pitted against 1983 Roederer Vintage Brut, which had retained its fruit and complexity noticeably better. This wine feels like it is at its peak or slowly sliding past it.

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  10/22/2009 - DAN BAILEY wrote:

  From magnum. Light yellow colour with only a hint of ageing. Plenty of vibrant acidity and mousse from the tiniest pinprick bubbles I've ever seen. Lovely hazelnut and golden honey on the nose and palate in a very clear, refreshing style. Lots of white bread/cake. Absolutely bone dry. Continued to open in the glass. Reminded me a lot of the 85 DP but a little fresher and not quite as deep.

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