Happy Valentine’s Day to you all! For those who know me, there is very little doubt that I love top champagne. I had a glorious visit to Louis Roederer in January and had a chance to visit their gorgeous new lineup of wines. Louis Roederer only produces their ‘Cristal’ Champagne in specific vintages that work for their style. The first ‘Cristal’ Champagne was created back in 1876 to satisfy the demanding tastes of Tsar Alexander II. The emperor asked Louis Roederer to reserve the House’s best cuvée for him every year as he was fond of Louis Roederer’s style. This Champagne was initially distinguished by being presented in a flat-bottomed, transparent lead-crystal bottle. The ‘Cristal’ brand was named after the lead-crystal bottle, which is particularly transparent and luminous.
‘Cristal’ Champagne blending is typically around 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir, although that varies on the vintage. Cristal is aged for 6 years in Louis Roederer’s cellars and then left for a further 8 months after dégorgement. The ‘Cristal’ Rose Champagne is always composed of estate fruit and the wine is primarily fermented and aged in steel, but roughly 15-20% of the blend is aged in oak. Their cellar master has been slowly lowering dosage to 8-9 g/l.
I have been impressed with the 2014 champagnes that I have tasted. The best that I have had so far is this sensational new 2014 ‘Cristal’ (OB, 97) which is a more dense style somewhat more akin to their 2006 or 2009 bottling. The wine shows insanely good texture and weight with its signature soft mousse and refined bubbles. This is champagne that can benefit from 20-30 minutes in the decanter, unlike the 2013 edition which marches right out of the gate. Learn more about this great Champagne at http://www.louis-roederer.com/en/wine/cristal
2014 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne- The dense and intense 2014 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne is a stunning, riper style of ‘Cristal’ that more closely mirrors the 2006 or 2009 editions of this wine. Once on the nose this exudes class with salted lemon peel, kumquat and suggestions of cardamom dusted brioche. Very refined bubbles greet you, as salted cashew, Key lime, and melon fruits with hints of white truffle all brilliantly amalgamate into a highly complex animal. The dense mouthfeel and silky mousse all add to the enjoyment, as this will be a very long-lived ‘Cristal.’ Drink 2022-2040- 97