When less gives more. Where the essential is invisible to the eye, but not to the palate. Because only from a free thought, forged by a friendship, can a minimalist cuvée be born, capable of prefiguring the Champagne of tomorrow. The Brut Nature according to Maison Louis Roederer returns, debuting in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower under the equally essential steel and glass vaults of the Grand Palais, choosing as its stage Révélations 2025, the International Biennial of Métiers d’Art et Création. The 2018 vintage writes a new chapter for this “climate change laboratory.” Fruit of the black soils of Cumières, in the Marne Valley, born of the constant dialogue between Frédéric Rouzaud, president and general manager, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, cellar master, and French architect and designer Philippe Starck, this special cuvée has been the embodiment of a changing Champagne since 2006.
“The entire project is constantly evolving,” explains Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. “What we do today could change tomorrow. But what remains is the desire to act intelligently and responsibly. We have rediscovered ancient practices and today we are re-proposing them as modern solutions. It is our way of preparing for the next 30 years, for future generations.” A mission sealed in a bottle, along with its radical and visionary message.
The radical and visionary message of Louis Roederer Brut Nature by Philippe Starck
The Louis Roederer Brut Nature by Philippe Starck requires no dosage: only wine, terroir, and vintage. In this case, the 2018 vintage takes center stage, asserting its distinctive character: “Continental, exceptional, and historic, the 2018 vintage is striking for its preserved, original grape flavor; a year of soil and winemaker that clearly asserts itself,” according to Lécaillon’s description.
This cuvée, as mentioned, has been a testament to the changes underway in Champagne for nearly two decades, a model of experimentation that only comes to life in warm, dry years, when certain cool clays of Cumières, exposed to the summer sun and planted with different grape varieties, express unique freshness and depth.
“My classic reference was the craie, the white terroir of Cristal. Here, nature has gifted us with different juices,” explains the Cellar Master of Maison Louis Roederer.
Les Pierreuses, the high, stony hillside facing south; Les Chèvres, rich in clay, facing southeast; Les Clos, a small, clay-rich hill to the southwest: these are the three parcels that provide the cuvée’s coordinates. Here, the complantation (mixed cultivation) reinforces the terroir’s expression with varieties such as Pinot Blanc, already present in this release, to which Arbane, Petit Meslier, and Pinot Gris will be added in the future: many souls, one voice. The grapes are harvested and pressed together, without subsequent blending.
“The goal is to enhance the strength and distinctive character of each variety: the full maturity of the Meunier, which provides fruit and structure; the structure of the Pinot Noir; and the over-ripeness of the Chardonnay, which has always supported the others in Champagne,” explains Lécaillon. “Complexity arises from this diversity of ripeness levels. In a hot year, when everything ripens almost simultaneously, the vegetative cycle accelerates and compresses: it’s the perfect time to harvest and co-ferment, capturing harmony through the variety.”
The wines remain on the lees for almost a year, enriching their texture and complexity; no malolactic fermentation occurs. Fine bubbles, a creamy palate, and a clear taste: this is the final result.
“All my life, I’ve tried to give more by doing less, using fewer materials,” Starck emphasizes. “My real job—which has never been a job, but rather a presence—has always been this: removing the superfluous, dividing, simplifying, like extracting a square root. You take a number and divide it, and divide it again, until you reach the prime number. You don’t stop until you reach the essence. The same goes for Champagne: you start with a miracle and strip it of every frill until you obtain something pure, sincere.”
This translates for the 2018 vintage into two interpretations of the same terroir, complementary visions: on the one hand, the Brut Nature Blanc, crisp, velvety, harmonious, and sunny; on the other hand the Brut Nature Rosé, concentrated, structured, saline, vibrant.
The 2018 vintage in Blanc and Rosé: a Champagne that simply demands to be tasted
“Working with Starck,” explains Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, “is not a stylistic exercise. It’s a search for truth. He’s not a winemaker, but he’s capable of reading wine in depth, provoking and inspiring reflections that go beyond technique.”
A wonderful thought, unfiltered and free from constraints. “Champagne isn’t a product, it’s a moment,” echoes Starck. “A permanent smile, an opportunity for love and joy. It doesn’t need rigid rules. It needs truth.” This is reflected in a sip of Brut Nature Blanc 2018, an elegant and fragrant Champagne that combines intensity and freshness: on the palate, it’s juicy, savory, dynamic, fresh, and long, with a mineral and delicately bitter finish. The same holds true for the Brut Nature Rosé 2018, a very fresh, fruity expression “en rosé,” obtained by infusion. Salty notes, a fleshy and juicy palate: the Pinot Noir dominates, with a creamy bubble and elegant structure, the finish is iodine-rich, spicy, and bitter cocoa-like.
Two snapshots that are also reflected in the minimalist elegance of a sober and essential design, ça va sans dire, born from the creativity of Philippe Starck: no label, just a few descriptive signs, with rosé terracotta and warm beige tones recalling the earth, the origin, and the authenticity. “Brut Nature is so honest, so stripped down to the essentials, that I didn’t want to add anything. Only truth and sincerity,” Starck concludes. “These Champagnes need no frills. Their beauty is internal. The only thing you need to remove is the cork to drink them.”
