Louis Roederer - Cristal Champagne 2016 (750ml)
Price: $315.00
| Producer | Louis Roederer |
| Country | France |
| Region | Champagne |
| Varietal | Champagne Blend |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Sku | 9223 |
| Size | 750ml |
Louis Roederer Description
Forged by a chalky soil unlike any other and honed by time, Cristal is Louis Roederer’s flagship champagne. Created in 1876 at the special request of Tsar Alexander II, this exceptional champagne is sourced from up to 45 plots located in seven Grands Crus vineyards spanning the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs. It is only produced in years when the grapes have reached perfect maturity.
This bright, powdery and chalky champagne is the product of time and the fruit of a haute couture artisanal viticulture in which eco-friendly practices, biodynamic composts and respect for living organisms are the only rules. Cristal is a drinking experience unlike any other. It is crafted in a manner that will allow it to reveal itself very gradually over time, growing ever more glorious with every passing year, gaining in depth, finesse and aromatic complexity.
Cristal 2016 is composed of grapes sourced from 32 "lieux-dits" in Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Ay, Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Cramant. 31% of the wines are vinified in oak. No malolactic fermentation. The dosage is 7 g/L.
Harvest from September 15th to October 1st, 2016.
Bright, shiny yellow hue. Magnificent fine, slow-moving bubbles. The bouquet is intense, deep and precise, combining scents of white flowers (acacia), concentrated, roasted citrus (lemons) and ripe yellow fruit (peaches, mirabelle plums). After a few minutes, subtle iodised, powdery and roasted overtones emerge, the result of the autolysis of the yeasts during the “sur lattes” ageing process. On the palate, there is an immediate impression, soft and delicate, more accessible than ever! It is like a zabaglione with concentrated, juicy and ripe fruit, the hallmark of the great Pinot noirs from the heatwave in 2016 with their soft, caressing texture derived from the chalky soil in which they grow. The bubbles are tactile, perfectly integrated and almost salty. Wheat and oyster shell notes are the signature of the slow and late ripening great Chardonnays. The substance is there, powdery, grainy and deliciously chocolatey. We are very close to having the “ideal” balance, the wine is crisp, saline and iodised, with a long, chalky, crystalline finish that lingers and builds to a crescendo. The overall impression is one of refinement, sapidity and purity... like the infinite grace of an opera ballerina.
Cristal 2016 is pure, delicate and concentrated. It is the perfect, eloquent “Grand Cristal”: 50% sun (ripe, juicy Pinot noirs) and 50% soil (chalky, saline Chardonnays). It is similar to the 2002, 2008 and 2012, but with an even longer, more precise and concentrated character.
The 2016 vintage was characterised by particularly marked weather variations: spring was cool, wet and relatively late whereas summer was warm and dry with a heatwave in late August followed by dry and sunny weather over the harvest period which was highly beneficial to the ripening of the grapes. Our Pinot noirs thrived in these dry, sunny conditions and the heat has given them an intensely fruity character and silky smooth texture. The Chardonnays are just as outstanding although more chiselled and saline in character.
Jeb Dunnuck: 98 Points
The 2016 Champagne Cristal is transparent and complex with lovely aromas of fresh flowers. Medium-bodied and chiseled with great texture well-defined saltiness and delicate notes of shortbread it?s a shimmering and electric wine with fantastic detail. It has a concentrated chalky profile and is flush with crushed stones. It will demand some patience but this is a fantastic wine in this vintage for Cristal. Bravo.
James Suckling: 98 Points
This has wonderfully pure fruit aromas such as peaches Asian pears and golden apples alongside lemon curd gingerbread chalk and jasmine. Rock salt and oyster shells follow on the palate which is so seamless that you scarcely notice the super-fine bubbles. It?s concentrated yet gentle at the same time with impressive resolution and integration of all components. Salty and creamy at the very-long finish. Fantastic! 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay. Drink or hold.
The Wine Independent: 98+ Points
The 2016 Cristal is a blend of 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay with 7 grams per liter of dosage. No malo-lactic was performed here and 31% of the base wines were aged in French oak. The nose begins with bright red berry notes of fresh raspberries and strawberries before opening out to a complex undercurrent of saffron white chocolate talc baker?s yeast and emerging wafts of citron blossom and pear tart. The palate is very dry and spicy not needing even a touch more sweetness thanks to the abundance of ripe berry and citrus flavors delivering beautifully knit acidity and typically tiny persistent bubbles. It finishes with notes of effervescent chalkiness and saffron flowers leaving you reaching for another sip. Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2024-07-31 Source: Louis Roederer New Releases and 2016 Cristal
Wine Enthusiast: 98 Points
This iconic Champagne first made in the 19th century for the Tsar of Russia shows its typical stunning balance and poise between richness and concentration. It has a pure white fruit and honeysuckle aroma and tight tangy fresh fruit flavors. Just ready to drink the wine will age well for at least 20 years. Organic.
Wine Advocate: 97 Points
The 2016 Cristal is a taut incisive rendition of this benchmark bottling unwinding in the glass with youthfully reserved aromas of citrus oil white flowers wet stones and subtle hints of sweet buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied chiseled and racy it's almost as electric as the brilliant 2013 with serious concentration a pure core of fruit chalky structuring dry extract and a long intensely mineral finish. Given its tightly wound profile my advice is to forget it in the cellar for a few years and work on the more open outgoing 2014 in the meantime. Jean-Baptise Lecaillon described 2016 as a complicated season much like 2021 and 2024 (so far). Heavy pressure from downy mildew in spring and powdery mildew in summer made for low yields and caught some growers unawares perhaps explaining why this vintage is a notable omission from a number of houses' portfolios. An August heat wave made for ripe Pinot Noir with thick skins contributing density and extract; and so to temper that Lecaillon and his team included a touch more Chardonnay than usual fully 42% versus a more habitual 40%. That Chardonnay somewhat reductive in profile amplifies the 2016 Cristal's taut chiseled profile. Only 32 of the 45 parcels that are candidates for inclusion in Cristal's blend made the final cut; but neither the Montagne de Reims nor the Vallée de la Marne predominate as both had their contribution to make. The result is a classic in the best sense of the term and one that will offer a long and broad drinking window. Published: Aug 15 2024
Decanter: 97 Points
Cristal 2016 represents a return to purity and classicism for this cuvée, even seen through the lens of 2016's ripe, generous nature. It is discreet in youth, cloaking its ripeness in long, chalky, stony energy. Gentle mandarin, pale apricot and raspberry fruit sit under slowly maturing notions of floral honey and tight, smoky charm. An airy, flowing delicacy and persistence lifts this above some other expressions of this year. It's a hugely promising Cristal, likely to stand as tall as the sought-after 2012 and 2013 releases. (Drink between 2029-2050)
Vinous: 96 Points
The 2016 Cristal is bright aromatic and nicely lifted. Citrus peel white flowers mint and a touch of chamomile all grace this understated wonderfully refined edition of Cristal. Light on its feet and super-refined the 2016 is exquisite in its understated beauty. I can?t wait to see how the 2016 ages and won?t be surprised it gains a bit of weight in bottle as Cristal so often does. The blend is 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay so a touch more Chardonnay than the norm. Of the 45 parcels that make up the Cristal domaine just 32 were used for the blend. Verzy and Verzenay dominate the Pinots then Aÿ. Avize takes the lead in the Chardonnays followed by Mesnil and Cramant. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. (Drink between 2024-2046)
Wine Spectator: 96 Points
This leads with pronounced minerality on the nose but then a bright burst of tangerine blood orange and Meyer lemon flavors on the palate hold sway joined by rich hints of crème de cassis toast point pastry cream and crystallized honey. Showing beautiful integration and a refined lacy mousse this is compact and statuesque with a sense of restraint and the hint of more to come while at the same time offering lovely expression in the glass today. Fresh and focused on the persistent finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2044. ?A.N.
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