Champagne Louis Roederer was established in 1776 and is now run by the 7th generation of the family, Frédéric Rouzaud. With over 240 hectares of vineyards located exclusively in Grands and Premiers Crus villages, Champagne Louis Roederer is self-sufficient for approximately 70% of their non-vintage production and 100% of their vintage champagnes.
Pioneers in sustainable farming, Louis Roederer use organic practices in all their vineyards, and are certified organic in 115 ha, with the remainder of the estate in conversion. The whole estate uses biodynamic practices and is inspired by the concepts of permaculture. Working hand in hand with nature, respecting terroir and the pursuit of taste underpins everything they do.
In 1974, almost 200 years after the establishment of the Champagne house of Louis Roederer and 100 years after the creation or Cristal, Jean-Claude Rouzaud decided to create the Cristal Rosé cuvée. To achieve this, he selected old-vine Pinot Noir grapes using massal selection, which involves propagation from the vineyard’s most successful plants.
Cristal is a blend of seven Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs; Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Ay, Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant
Cristal 2014 is farmed 100% biodynamically.
Cristal is 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. No malolactic fermentation is carried out and 32% of the wines are vinified in oak. Dosage is 7g/l
2014 was a ‘weather waltz’, and one with clear, sharp contrasts! The spring was sunny and dry and ended with a heatwave in June; summer autumnal, cool and rainy; September was hot, sunny and very dry…. weather we would usually associate with the month of August. The ‘key’ to the vintage lay in the soils as well as in the work carried out by the winegrowers. The good drainage properties of the chalk on the lower-middle part of the hillside helped us greatly by allowing the excess water from the summer to drain away which limited any excess vigour in the vines. These factors were complemented by our increasingly eco-friendly viticultural practices which allow us to take our quest for grapes of perfect balance and maturity even further
Intense, bright and luminous golden hue.
Dynamic effervescence with a continuous stream of fine bubbles.
Intense, fragrant bouquet of great purity. Concentrated and candied citrus fruit mingle delicately with notes of grain and lightly roasted almonds. The lovely sensation of big ripe fruit is balanced and lifted by energetic fresh tangy overtones.
Fruity palate with a silky texture, complemented by soft bubbles that are perfectly integrated and deliciously elegant. The purity and perfection of the ripe yellow fruit melt into the intense chalky freshness, typical of Cristal, that is both powdery and saline.
Dense, juicy, concentrated and long on the mid-palate, thanks to the spicy and sappy structure resulting from partial ageing in large oak vats (foudres)
The finish builds to a crescendo, revealing a rich grainy and velvety texture that is wrapped in a long, saline and superbly elegant finish.
‘This is a model of sleekness, understatement and depth, an utterly compelling combination of briskness and emollience. Irresistible now but guaranteed to evolve.’ Anne Krebiehl MW 99 points
‘The aromatic profile was multi faceted, an assembly of citrus fruits, a touch of raspberry and the gamut of of white pear and peach. Its texture in the mouth was the coup de grace soft, gentle yet compelling, the bubbles part of the wine itself, not an adjunct. A fine, fine Cristal made for gastronomy’ Michael Edwards 97 points, World of Fine Wine
‘This clearly has a great future ahead of it and I hope very much to encounter it in the future’ Jancis Robinson MW 17.5++
‘Cristal is another masterpiece ‘composed’ by Louis Roederer chef de cave, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon’ Peter Dean, The Buyer
‘The 2014 Cristal is another in a long line of gorgeous wines from Roederer’ Antonio Galloni 98 points, Vinous
‘This is an expressive wine with energy and mouth-watering salinity and, like the 2012, it errs on the side of freshness and finesse’ Matthew Jukes 19/20
AOC Champagne
Pinot Noir
Chardonnay
cork
12%
7g/l
