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

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. 52% chardonnay and 48% pinot noir. Disgorged February 2024. 6 g/L dosage. Drink or hold. Courtney Humiston Staff Writer & Taster

The first vintage of L’Ermitage was 1989, and the wine is produced only in exceptional years. The 2019 vintage marks the first vintage of L’Ermitage to undergo full malolactic fermentation. A small portion of the wine (4.9 per cent) was fermented in oak cask, with gentle bâtonnage over eight weeks. The dosage wine is drawn from the 2019 vintage and was aged in oak cask for four years, while the reserve wine—just under 4% of the final blend—comes from the 2016 vintage. The wine was disgorged in February 2024 and finished with a dosage of 6 g/L. The 2019 is remarkably expressive and layered, offering citrus fruit and apple notes with impressive depth. As the first vintage to complete 100% malolactic fermentation—something winemaker Arnaud Weyrich notes ‘Mother Nature simply wanted to happen’—the wine delivers a beautifully silky, creamy mousse. This richness is balanced by more than 6 grams of total acidity, lending precision and drive. Mineral intensity and baking spice nuances build across a finely detailed, full-bodied palate, carrying through to a long, focused, and elegantly layered finish.

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. - Antonio Galloni

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.