Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Vinotheque (Gift Box) 1500ml
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Vinotheque (Gift Box) 1500ml
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Cristal is famous the world over, with its own army of devotees. However, few are aware of its exceptional ability to age in bottle and the intelligence with which this fine wine is able to take advantage of the passing years. These two virtues, rare in the world of champagne, are the reason why the House of Louis Roederer ceremonially preserves some bottles of Cristal in its cellars, submitting them to the benevolent influence of time. Made ready for their ageing in an ideal environment, the bottles are then isolated and the wine will gently evolve towards a harmonious maturity, developing a more complex bouquet and evolved flavours.
Bright and clear with a golden yellow hue and delicate amber tints. Fine, delicate mousse forming tight bubbles in the glass. The bouquet is remarkably intense, lively, concentrated and complex. The nose opens with fruity aromas which is unusual for a 22-year-old wine: ripe pear and apple, apricot, zesty notes of candied lemon, yuzu and orange peel. After aeration the aromas evolve to hot stone, chalk, smoke, mocha, hazelnut and fresh pastries. On the palate the wine is concentrated with a rich, almost oily, texture that continues on to the mid-palate thanks to the wine’s chalky, saline freshness. The texture becomes more pronounced with a powdery minerality on the tongue. The finish is lively, saline and very long.
James Suckling 99: An extraordinary champagne experience that you’ll never forget! Tons of white chocolate on the savory nose pulls you into this concentrated and chalky champagne with rich candied citrus and mirabelle fruit. So much oily umami complexity right through the huge breathtakingly vivid finish. Just 10% of each vintage of Cristal gets the extra years of aging for release as Vinotheque.
Vinous 98+: The 2002 Cristal Vinothèque offers a touch more precision and tension than the original release. Dried flowers, tangerine peel, spice, mint and orange peel all grace this exquisite, wonderfully vibrant Champagne. The 2002 opens beautifully with air, offering a compelling mix of 2002 rich fruit drenched in bright, chalky saline notes. The explosive finish is incredibly alluring. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2018.
Wine Advocate 96: Disgorged in 2019 with a dosage of six grams per liter, the 2004 Cristal Vinothèque spent 20 years in the Louis Roederer cellars. This aging process involved the bottles being stacked horizontally on their sides, followed by a period stored neck-down to limit oxygen exposure while also reducing the surface area of lees in contact with the wine. After this, the Champagne underwent an additional six years of aging post-disgorgement. Lecaillon explains that this effort is to “push the wine with longer maturation into a more generous expression, not sacrificing salinity in the process.” Bursting from the glass with a deep bouquet of roasted nuts, candied lemon peel and brioche mingling with aromas of smoke and honeysuckle, it is richer and more dramatic aromatically, while simultaneously retaining a cool, racy profile. Medium to full-bodied, textural and multidimensional, it concludes with a long, chalky finish. With only 2,000 bottles available, it will be rather difficult to find; but those with disposable income who want to experience Cristal at its most generous expression should not hesitate to track down a bottle, as it stands as one of the most precise releases of the Vinothèque program so far and surpasses the regular 2004 Cristal in its depth and completeness.
Vinous 98: The 2004 Cristal Vinothèque (magnum) takes things to another level. Two thousand-four has long been one of my favorite Champagne vintages for the top wines. It was a controversial year, one marked by record yields. Long aging on the lees fills out the wine while adding layers of dimension that enhance the essential qualities of the year. The 2004 Vinothèque is so timeless, so classy.