Cristal2002

2002 was an extraordinary year which brought us extremely good weather, contributing to the crafting of a great Champagne vintage for laying down.

Cristal is Louis Roederer's flagship champagne. It comes from 45 plots from Grands Crus vineyards (located in La Vallée de la Marne - also known as the vineyard of "la Rivière", La Côte des Blancs and La Montagne de Reims), covering a total of 80 hectares. This estate has been carefully built up by the Roederer family since 1841 and worked in a bespoke manner with respect for the living environment.

Created in 1876 at the special request of Tsar Alexander II, a great lover of the wines from Champagne, Cristal is uniquely inspired. It is also said that the monarch had it specially created for his muse to whom he dedicated it to. It was a bespoke design; a transparent, flat-bottomed bottle (said to have been chosen to thwart any assassination attempts on the Russian sovereign), a prodigious ageing, the promise of eternal youth.

Produced only in years when the grapes reach perfect maturity, Cristal is the product of time and the fruit of state-of-the-art viticulture.

6 to 10 years ageing in the bottle, riddling exclusively by hand and a long rest after disgorgement all play a part in the crafting of a vintage Cristal. This is a champagne that is destined for high-end gastronomy, capable of creating the most refined and original food pairings, to be enjoyed at different stages of its life and maturity.

Cristal 2002 combines a rich, powerful body with a great refinement which, over time, sees its notes evolve without losing any of its superb character. Endowed with a very pure balance, it has retained an incredible youthfulness, blending notes of cocoa, toasted hazelnuts and candied citrus fruit. The texture is infinitely silky, concentrated and savoury with white chocolate, caramel and fresh pastry flavours. The finish is underpinned by a freshness and a fine bitterness making the wine almost crunchy. This Cristal is a timeless classic!

This outstanding Champagne has now reached perfect maturity and is ready to be enjoyed. However, it sees no reason to rush and will happily continue to rest in a cool, dark cellar with its orange cellophane protecting it from light, for a few more years should you so wish.