Roederer Estate Brut (Anderson Valley) – That this wine seems to grow a shade more leaden every time I taste it might be my imagination, or maybe it’s the case; there’s no way to go back and taste young Roederer Estates from ten years ago, of course, and aged versions won’t settle the issue. It’s good, flavorful stuff, leaning more on its weight and darker fruit characteristics than it would from the soils of Champagne (where even the black-fruited wines rarely carry this much raw density), but all that weight comes at a cost: there’s little deftness and decreasing life. If this is a stylistic choice, rather than just the voyages of my palate, then here’s a vote for an alternative path. I still like the wine, but the similarly-priced alternatives exist in quantity. (2/10)

Roederer Estate Brut (Anderson Valley) – This is the most reliably attractive Champagne-style sparkling wine from the U.S., until one is willing to spend a good deal more, and has been for so long it’s almost boring to repeat the recommendation. But why not? Good work should be rewarded. No, it’s not an exciting wine, but it delivers the classic blended-Champagne tastes amped up to about 15, as one would except from California (even from a cool-ish appellation), yet never heavy or ponderous. No, it won’t make you turn away from Champagne if price is no object. And if it is? The appeal starts to mount. (4/09)

Roederer Estate Brut (Anderson Valley) – Fairly dense (or perhaps wee-heavy would be a better descriptor…if you’re Scottish), showing a pleasant mix of ripe lemon, ripe apple, and gentle intrusions of strawberry and raspberry. Lees are present, but submissive. This is very primary, but I remain of the opinion that this is about the best of the entry-level domestic bubblies. A second bottle is a little heftier and more red-fruited, which improves it for my palate. (11/08)

Roederer Estate “25th Anniversary” Brut (Anderson Valley) – A reliable performer. This version tastes a little more like a balance between ripe chardonnay stone-fruitiness and deeper, redder pinot tones (usually, the wine leans towards its red grapes), and gives the impression of more fatness than it actually possesses; the finish ends up being quite balanced. (9/08)