Roederer Estate Apple Valley Vineyard 2020 (Single-Vineyard)
Overview
Founded in 1982, Roederer Estate is nestled in Mendocino County’s cool, fog-shrouded Anderson Valley. As the California property of Champagne Louis Roederer, Roederer Estate builds upon a centuries-old tradition of fine winemaking. Apple Alley Vineyard, along with our Clark Road Vineyard bottling, is intended to reflect what lies at the core of Roederer Estate philosophy: deep knowledge of our family owned vineyards and careful craftmanship of site-specific wines. These single-vineyard releases showcase an important sense of place and the full expression of the fruit in its terroir.
Winemaking
Apple Alley is the nickname given to the dirt road that winds up from the winery deep into the vineyard situated above Roederer Estate. The land formerly contained a large apple orchard, and the trees along the dirt road are the last remnants of the original plantings, with some nearing 100 years in age. Our 2020 Apple Alley Vineyard was partially fermented in casks (8%) and with a small amount of reserve wine aged in casks (1.4%) to give the Roederer Estate family touch. It was disgorged in February 2024, after 34 months on the yeast.
Tech
Appellation: Anderson Valley
Varietals: 74.2% Chardonnay, 25.8% Pinot Noir
Wine Alcohol: 12.8%
Titratable Acidity: 6.10 g/L
pH: 3.28
Dosage: 6.0 g/L
Aging: 34 months on the yeast
Cases Produced: 585
Tasting Notes
On the nose, delicate aromas of baked pie crust and spices dominate. A round entry leads to baked lemon curd notes. This vintage bears a soft acidity because of its nearly full malolactic status, which is not typical of the Roederer Estate style but was what the site and vintage wanted to express that year. The wine is creamy at the finish yet stays bright. At 6g/L of dosage, it sits at the top of the Extra Brut scale for a refined, round but not sweet lingering finish.
