READ · COMPARE · EXPLAIN
Louis Roederer: Two Types of Reserve
This Champagne house is based in Reims. For their Collection, they blend base wines from the latest harvest with reserve wines refreshed each year and reserve wines aged in wooden vessels.
I will explain the three base wines of Collection 242 by vintage and storage method.
Questions for this course
Does the “242” in Collection 242 represent the harvest year?
Before you start reading, briefly jot down your thoughts. You will rephrase them at the end.
To applied practice using the material ↓
To explanation task notes ↓Louis Roederer / Learn by producer
France / Champagne / Reims
Aliases & spellings: Louis Roederer
Update date: 2026-09-24
Use the number to identify the assemblage.
“Collection 242” means the 242nd assemblage of the house. The composition has 56% from the 2017 harvest. By differentiating between the lot number and the harvest year, you can interpret the generations of the base wines.
Reserve stock replenished each year.
Réserve Perpétuelle is a system started in 2012, where each year's crop is added to a stainless steel tank for storage. In 242 it accounts for 34%. Since it started in 2012, it does not mean that everything originates from the 2012 vintage.
There are also reserves aged in wooden containers.
The remaining 10% is reserve wine aged in wooden containers. The explanation for the 242 mentions 2009, 2011, and 2013–2016. Three distinct roles are identified: the most recent harvest, topped-up reserves, and reserves aged in wood.
What to align and what to compare.
Collection 242
- Conditions to standardize
- Louis Roederer
- Conditions for comparison.
- 2017 harvest 56%
- Additional points to confirm
- 242 refers to the number of assembly steps
Réserve Perpétuelle
- Conditions to standardize
- Louis Roederer
- Conditions for comparison.
- 34% / topped up every year and stored in stainless steel
- Additional points to confirm
- Not a wine from the starting year only
Reserva aged in wood
- Conditions to standardize
- Louis Roederer
- Conditions for comparison.
- 10% / multi-vintage
- Additional points to confirm
- Aged reserve from a different lineage
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
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READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Collected Readings: Louis Roederer—Two Types of Reserve
Compare the stated conditions in the documentation. Numbers specifying vintages should be treated as information for that specific year.
This summarizes materials published by producers, regional groups, and importers. Each source includes the publisher and the date the material was checked.
| Comparison items | What can be determined from the materials | Ability to distinguish by reading |
|---|---|---|
| Collection 242 | 2017 harvest 56% | 242 refers to the number of assembly steps |
| Réserve Perpétuelle | 34% / topped up every year and stored in stainless steel | Not a wine from the starting year only |
| Reserva aged in wood | 10% / multi-vintage | Aged reserve from a different lineage |
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Read the explanation for each question
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What does 242 signify?
Distinguished from the base year 2017
What is Réserve Perpétuelle?
The starting year and the span of years included are different.
What are the three proportions of 242?
This is a structure that separates the origin and storage method of the base wine. 56% is from the 2017 harvest, 34% is a reserve replenished annually, and 10% is reserve matured in wood. The total is 100%, but this chart does not show the proportion of Chardonnay and Pinot.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
Please explain differences in raw materials and winemaking by reading the table and sources.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | Comparison items | What can be determined from the materials | Ability to distinguish by reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collection 242 | 2017 harvest 56% | 242 refers to the number of assembly steps | |
| Réserve Perpétuelle | 34% / topped up every year and stored in stainless steel | Not a wine from the starting year only | |
| Reserva aged in wood | 10% / multi-vintage | Aged reserve from a different lineage |
Sources of materials used for comparison are listed in the text and exercises.
Explain in your own words
Please explain the three original wines of Collection 242 by vintage and method of storage.
Check after writing
- Did you specify the label, vintage, and scope of materials to be compared?
- Did you distinguish and explain the three items in the table?
- Did you separate verified facts from points to check further with additional references or tasting?
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