«As I reflect on this anniversary, my thoughts turn first, with deep affection and gratitude, to those who shaped the Champagne House before me: to Louis Roederer, who gave the Champagne House his name and the impetus that set it on its course; to Camille Olry-Roederer, whose character and vision safeguarded the House’s independence through the most difficult period in its history; to my father, Jean-Claude Rouzaud, who took the pursuit of quality to the highest level and extended the House’s presence into other great wine regions; and, more broadly, to all those who, since 1776, have helped write this history with patience, daring and conviction.

 

This anniversary is also a moment to reflect on what the luxury of time, patience and continual renewal truly means. At Louis Roederer, time is dedicated to the vine, to the wine, to observation, to transmission and to creation. Lying at the heart of our independence, it is what makes us free: free to make ambitious choices that remain true to who we are. It is, without question, one of the most precious legacies we have inherited.

2026 also marks the 150th anniversary of Cristal and the 15th anniversary of the Louis Roederer Foundation. Here again, it is the same story in motion: that of a Champagne House that has always sought to foster a dialogue between nature, savoir-faire, sensibility and vision; a Champagne House where uncompromising standards have always gone hand in hand with openness to creation, culture and emotion.

 

To mark this highly symbolic year, the phrase “Creation is Love” came to us instinctively. It expresses, profoundly, what I feel and what I believe in. To create a great fine wine is to love the land that sustains it, the vines that shape it, the patient care devoted to it, and the men and women who bring their talent to this craft. Ultimately, it is about wanting to share this expertise and this deep attachment to our terroirs and our history. At Louis Roederer, creation has always flowed from this intimate bond between Man and Nature, between the heritage entrusted to us and the desire to pass it on.» - Frédéric Rouzaud

Louis Roederer, the 250th anniversary of a family-owned and independent Champagne House

Founded in Reims in 1776, Louis Roederer is one of the very few great Champagne Houses to remain family-owned and independent. This independence is the bedrock of its identity. It gives the House the freedom to take the long view, to pursue its vision with boldness and consistency, and to remain uncompromising in its pursuit of quality.

In 1833, a decisive new chapter began when Louis Roederer inherited the Champagne House and gave it his name. A visionary, he quickly understood that the foundation of great champagne lay in the vineyard. Going against the conventions of the time, he began acquiring plots on the finest terroirs in Champagne to secure a long-term supply of grapes and gain full control over the winegrowing practices. This important decision would give the Champagne House not only an exceptional vineyard estate but also true creative freedom.

By the 19th century, Champagne Louis Roederer had established itself as one of Champagne’s foremost producers and expanded into international markets, most notably Russia. It made history in 1876 when it created Cristal for Tsar Alexander II, the first cuvée de prestige ever made. Since then, the ability to combine intuition, the highest standards and international renown has been ingrained in Louis Roederer's DNA.

 

In the century that followed, the Champagne House weathered crises and periods of upheaval under the leadership of several remarkable figures. Camille Olry-Roederer, who was at the House’s helm for 43 years, ushered in a new era of modernity and rebuilt its international reputation with remarkable success. Jean-Claude Rouzaud then carried the House’s uncompromising standards of quality and winegrowing expertise to new heights, while opening it to new opportunities. Today, Frédéric Rouzaud, representing the seventh generation, continues this journey in the same spirit of independence, freedom and fidelity to the terroir.

Terroirs of excellence and the artistry of creation

The history of Louis Roederer is inextricably tied to that of its vineyards. Patiently built up over generations, the vineyard estate now covers 250 hectares on some of the Champagne region’s finest terroirs, the vast majority classified as Premiers Crus and Grands Crus. This exceptional heritage lies at the heart of the House’s distinctive winegrowing identity, its creative freedom and its ability to think and act for the long term. Louis Roederer’s vineyards extend across the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs and more than 420 plots selected for their exposure, balance and expressive potential.

This direct connection with the terroir goes hand in hand with a respectful relationship with the living environment. For more than 20 years, Champagne Louis Roederer, under the direction of cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, has been practising a careful, precise and constantly evolving approach to viticulture, becoming the largest organic vineyard estate in the Champagne region, with 135 hectares certified. At Louis Roederer, creation is artistry. The grapes are picked by hand, and each plot is vinified separately. Each terroir preserves its own voice, each wine its own identity

Fine wines of pleasure and emotion

Louis Roederer's ambition is to create the great wines of tomorrow in a uniquely free and distinctive way - wines that evoke emotion and offer pure drinking pleasure. All Louis Roederer champagnes are conceived as fine wines for haute cuisine, shaped by soil, climate, savoir-faire and time. They are also united by a passion for taste, an understanding of time as an essential ingredient.

 

The Collection cuvée is the perfect example of this creative freedom and it expresses a dynamic and gastronomic vision of champagne. The Vintage champagnes - Vintage, Rosé, Blanc de Blancs and Brut Nature - are a continuation of the same quest for harmony and intensity. Each expresses a terroir, a vintage and a style, with that unique vibration that defines truly fine wines. Within this constellation, Hommage à Camille offer a new and refined interpretation of the Champagne terroirs.

Cristal, 150th anniversary of a legendary champagne

Cristal, fine wine derived from the estate’s finest chalk soils, is produced only in years of perfect maturity, and patiently shaped by time.

 

In 1974, another major expression was added to this universe: Cristal Rosé, created by Jean-Claude Rouzaud. Born from the finest Pinot noir plots in Aÿ and from Louis Roederer’s chalkiest Chardonnay terroirs, it is crafted using a pioneering technique, gentle infusion, which gives rise to its distinctive style: a powdery texture, silky intensity, saline freshness and an almost tactile finesse.

 

Together, Cristal and Cristal Rosé form an iconic diptych, now joined by Cristal Late Release and Cristal Vinothèque, two expressions from the Louis Roederer “laboratory of time”.

Two artistic collaborations to mark the Champagne House’s 250th anniversary

To celebrate its 250th anniversary, Louis Roederer Champagne wanted to highlight not only its family winemaking heritage, but also its longstanding support for contemporary art through two specially commissioned artistic projects: a participatory work by Lee Shulman and an immersive installation at Roederer’s family mansion in Reims by Bianca Bondi.

Bianca Bondi © ADAGP, Paris, 2026

In Lee Shulman and Bianca Bondi, Louis Roederer has chosen two very different yet complementary artistic approaches. The first uses intimate, family-centred imagery to compose a luminous collective memory; the other transforms a place steeped in history into a living landscape permeated by nature, matter and time. Together, these two works offer a deeply reflective interpretation of what lies at the heart of the Champagne House: a family and human story, a deep connection to nature, the power of the collective, and a profound attachment to place, craftsmanship, the patient work of time and transmission.