Louis Roederer Cristal 2014 6 x 75cl - Case Sale

Overview:

In 1876, Tsar Alexander II - already a great lover of Louis Roederer wines - asked Louis Roederer to 'take the exercise still further' and create a cuvée for his personal use which was unique, in terms of both its style and the bottle. Louis Roederer offered him an exceptional crystal bottle, holding the fruit of vines selected from the seven great crus on his estate. The chardonnay and pinot noir grapes provide the subtle, precise balance that has now become synonymous with the leading prestige cuvée of Champagne. 

Cristal is Louis Roederer's flagship cuvée. It was created in 1876 and is composed of seven Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs. 

Winemaking:

Cristal 2014 is composed of grapes sourced from 45 "lieux-dits" in Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Ay, Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Cramant. 

32% of the wines are vinified in oak. 

No malolactic fermentation. 

The dosage is 7 g/L.

Tasting Notes:

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.

Harvest Notes:

A "weather waltz", and one with clear, sharp contrasts! The spring was sunny and dry and ended with a heatwave in June; summer was 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 vigor 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.

Grape Variety:

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay