Roederer made exceptional Champagnes across the board in 2018, and the newly released Cristal may be the vintage's crowning achievement. We have been extremely impressed by the 2018s from this house, and we believe this is one of the finest Cristals produced since the extraordinary 2013 and 2008 vintages. The warm, dry growing season delivered perfectly healthy, beautifully ripe fruit, but what is remarkable is the freshness and precision Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon was able to retain. The 2018 is composed of 57% Pinot Noir and 43% Chardonnay drawn from an unusually large selection of 57 estate parcels, and all best Chardonnay lots normally destined for the house’s Blanc de Blancs were instead included in Cristal. Twenty-eight percent of the wine was vinified in oak, malolactic fermentation was completely blocked, and the finished Champagne received a restrained dosage of 7 grams per liter. The result is a remarkably complete and unique Cristal: Chardonnay provides incredible saline freshness and energy, while Pinot Noir brings depth, concentration and a beautifully fine-grained texture. Despite the vintage's generosity, the wine remains incredibly focused, mineral, and energetic, with a long, mouthwatering finish, thanks to Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon's incredible winemaking skills. The 2008 and 2013 Cristals remain modern benchmarks for the house, but 2018 belongs in that conversation and may ultimately prove to be one of the great Cristals of this generation. Don't miss these last bottles!
Antonio Galloni 98+ pts! The 2018 Cristal opens a new chapter for Roederer. The Cristal estate is composed of 45 parcels. In better vintages, most of the 45 parcels are used for the blend. The 2018 vintage brought with it elevated ripeness and generally low acids. Longtime Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon was forced to cast his gaze wider, to look for parcels that offered a touch of freshness. Lécaillon expanded his palette to 57 parcels. The result is a Cristal unlike any other I have tasted. Orchard fruit, dried flowers, spice, chalk and herbs are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. Floral and savory overtones are quite distinctive. Lécaillon reduced oak ferments, racked very quickly after fermentation and used all his best Chardonnay lots for Cristal, so much so that there is no Blanc de Blancs. He bottled earlier than normal and chose a crown capsule with a liner that allows less oxygen transfer than the norm here. Taken together, those choices paid off handsomely. In tasting, the 2018 is positively stunning. Its linear energy and brilliance are a bit reminiscent of the 2014, but its flavor profile is completely different from any Cristal I can remember tasting. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. (Drink between 2028 - 2068)
2018 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
2018 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
Roederer made exceptional Champagnes across the board in 2018, and the newly released Cristal may be the vintage's crowning achievement. We have been extremely impressed by the 2018s from this house, and we believe this is one of the finest Cristals produced since the extraordinary 2013 and 2008 vintages. The warm, dry growing season delivered perfectly healthy, beautifully ripe fruit, but what is remarkable is the freshness and precision Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon was able to retain. The 2018 is composed of 57% Pinot Noir and 43% Chardonnay drawn from an unusually large selection of 57 estate parcels, and all best Chardonnay lots normally destined for the house’s Blanc de Blancs were instead included in Cristal. Twenty-eight percent of the wine was vinified in oak, malolactic fermentation was completely blocked, and the finished Champagne received a restrained dosage of 7 grams per liter. The result is a remarkably complete and unique Cristal: Chardonnay provides incredible saline freshness and energy, while Pinot Noir brings depth, concentration and a beautifully fine-grained texture. Despite the vintage's generosity, the wine remains incredibly focused, mineral, and energetic, with a long, mouthwatering finish, thanks to Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon's incredible winemaking skills. The 2008 and 2013 Cristals remain modern benchmarks for the house, but 2018 belongs in that conversation and may ultimately prove to be one of the great Cristals of this generation. Don't miss these last bottles!
Antonio Galloni 98+ pts! The 2018 Cristal opens a new chapter for Roederer. The Cristal estate is composed of 45 parcels. In better vintages, most of the 45 parcels are used for the blend. The 2018 vintage brought with it elevated ripeness and generally low acids. Longtime Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon was forced to cast his gaze wider, to look for parcels that offered a touch of freshness. Lécaillon expanded his palette to 57 parcels. The result is a Cristal unlike any other I have tasted. Orchard fruit, dried flowers, spice, chalk and herbs are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. Floral and savory overtones are quite distinctive. Lécaillon reduced oak ferments, racked very quickly after fermentation and used all his best Chardonnay lots for Cristal, so much so that there is no Blanc de Blancs. He bottled earlier than normal and chose a crown capsule with a liner that allows less oxygen transfer than the norm here. Taken together, those choices paid off handsomely. In tasting, the 2018 is positively stunning. Its linear energy and brilliance are a bit reminiscent of the 2014, but its flavor profile is completely different from any Cristal I can remember tasting. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. (Drink between 2028 - 2068)
