Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne Vintage

Product Description

• A vintage of perfect harmony for a Cristal of balance and substance.
  
  A Timeless Estate
  In this vineyard dedicated to the crafting of Cristal Champagne, consistency lies in careful adaptation each year. Depending on the weather and the growing cycle, only the highest quality plots are chosen for the final blend to capture the essence of Cristal, its beating heart and its most authentic self.
  
  These outstanding “lieux-dits” have been carefully and patiently built up by successive generations at the helm of the Louis Roederer Champagne House since 1841. They are worked using a bespoke and traditional winegrowing approach that respects the living environment, using eco-friendly practices that include massal selection, gentle pruning and allowing the land to lie fallow for long periods. These methods are inspired by the principles of permaculture, in which the ecosystem adjusts its balance thereby creating a close bond between Man and Nature.
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• Cristal is a terroir-driven champagne, crafted by artisans, and sourced exclusively from the estate of the same name, which is cultivated using organic methods.
  
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• Vintage
  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.
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• Tasting Notes
• This wine presents a bright, shiny yellow hue with magnificent fine, slow-moving bubbles. Its bouquet is intense, deep, and precise, showcasing an array of aromas that combine white flowers (like acacia), concentrated and roasted citrus (lemons), and ripe yellow fruits such as peaches and mirabelle plums. After a few moments, subtle iodized, powdery, and roasted notes emerge, attributed to the autolysis of yeasts during the “sur lattes” aging process.
  
  On the palate, it immediately impresses with a soft and delicate texture, more approachable than ever. It evokes a zabaglione infused with concentrated, juicy, and ripe fruit, a signature of the exceptional Pinot Noirs from the heatwave of 2016, offering a caressing texture influenced by the chalky soil. The bubbles are tactile, perfectly integrated, and carry a hint of salinity. Wheat and oyster shell nuances highlight the slow and late ripening of the great Chardonnays.
  
  The wine's substance is powdery, grainy, and deliciously chocolatey, nearing the “ideal” balance. It is crisp, saline, and iodized, with a long, chalky, crystalline finish that lingers and crescendos. The overall impression is one of refinement, sapidity, and purity—reminiscent of the infinite grace of an opera ballerina. Cristal 2016 is pure, delicate, and concentrated, embodying the perfect blend of 50% sun (ripe, juicy Pinot Noirs) and 50% soil (chalky, saline Chardonnays). Comparable to the 2002, 2008, and 2012 vintages, it boasts even greater precision, length, and concentration.
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• Production
• • MAIN CRUS: Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Ay, Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant
  • 32 VINEYARD PLOTS 
• • GRAPE VARIETIES: 58% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay
  • WINE IN OAK: 31%
  • MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION: 0%
  • DOSAGE : 7g/l
  • HARVEST: From 15 September to 1 October 2016
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• About Champagne Louis Roederer
• Champagne Louis Roederer, founded in 1776, is one of the most prestigious and independently owned Champagne houses in France. Renowned for its craftsmanship and dedication to excellence, the brand combines tradition with innovation, overseeing every step of production from vineyard to bottle. With an emphasis on sustainable viticulture, over 70% of their grapes come from their own exceptional estate vineyards. Louis Roederer is best known for creating Cristal, an iconic cuvée originally crafted for the Russian Tsar Alexander II in 1876, which continues to symbolize luxury and refinement. This commitment to quality and heritage has solidified Louis Roederer's reputation as a global leader in fine Champagne.
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• Champagne | 12% ABV | 750mL | France

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