TWO MINUTES WITH | Frédéric Rouzaud, Louis Roederer
Frédéric Rouzaud, 58, is the owner and CEO of the Louis Roederer family holdings, which today span such estates as Delas Frères in the Rhône Valley, Ramos Pinto in Portugal, Domaines Ott in Provence, and Châteaux Pichon Comtesse and de Pez in Bordeaux, in addition to the eponymous Champagne house. After spending the early part of his career in real estate and HR, he took over from his winemaker father in 2006, making several further acquisitions along the way, notably in California
What is your ‘last supper’ wine?
Not an easy decision, but, in the hope that such an occasion will be some years hence, I would love to drink again a glass (or two) of Château Margaux 2015. I fell in love with this tremendous wine during the en primeur tasting of 2016 and then during a special dinner for my wife’s birthday in 2022. It was not a wine, it was more than that. It was like a fragrance, so graceful and so well balanced, very emotional – and made more so by the fact that this was the last vintage made by the château’s famous winemaker Paul Pontallier before he passed away in 2016.
Where is your dream vineyard?
Piedmont, where the regions of Barolo and Barbaresco are like a garden paradise. Everything nature can produce is there and just so beautiful – diverse and unique at the same time, and so harmonious. On top of that, there is also such great food – every trip there is a dream!
Who is your wine hero?
Al Brounstein, the founder of Napa Valley’s Diamond Creek who created, in the 1960s, one of the most iconic and singular vineyards and wines in a place where you really had to be a hero to create such a masterpiece. He was a real pioneer who I truly admire for conquering the Napa Valley with tenacity, an aesthetic vision and a lot of patience. He made stunning wines and was also such a great character.
What’s the next big thing in wine?
When it comes to creating the best wines, you need a great terroir that can naturally produce something special. But you also need to adapt, to practise a very precise and sustainable viticulture. Then, when you are lucky to have that terroir, the most important thing is to preserve the diversity of vines you have, allowing you to retain the uniqueness of the taste of each place.
What’s your favorite wine memory?
Last year, we organised several dinners to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Cristal Rosé, the wine created by my father in 1974. Only Cristal Rosé was served, and I remember the 2002 vintage paired with a delicious dish of wagyu beef. Not a common pairing, which is perhaps why it was so striking – it was a very, very memorable moment for me, a unique experience, the perfect food-and-wine match.
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WHAT
I’VE
LEARNED
Daniel Brunier, Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Rhône
MEET
THE
SOMM
Zhen Jie New
IN
THE
VINEYARD
Gump Hof, Alto Adige, Italy