In 1876, Tsar Alexander II - already a great lover of Louis Roederer wines - asked Louis Roederer to ‘take the exercise still further‘ and create a cuvée for his personal use which was unique, in terms of both its style and the bottle. Louis Roederer offered him an exceptional crystal bottle, holding the fruit of vines selected from the seven great crus on his estate. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes provide the subtle, precise balance that has now become synonymous with the leading prestige cuvée of Champagne. Cristal is Louis Roederer’s flagship cuvée. It was created in 1876 and is composed of Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs.

THE VINTAGE

2018 was a very hot and dry year, but also generous and... very healthy. After an unusually wet winter, the spring was mild and stormy. The summer was particularly hot, dry, and sunny, breaking even the records set in 2003. The harvest was abundant, and the grapes were in near-perfect condition, giving us lovely, elegant, fruity wines.

TASTING NOTES

On the eye: Bright color with amber-yellow highlights. A steady stream of slow-moving, fine bubbles.

On the nose: An intense, concentrated bouquet of fresh yellow fruit (nectarine), citrus (citron) and floral notes (pollen, orange blossom), interwoven with subtle smoky notes and hints of vanilla. The Chardonnay takes the lead, exuding a chalky freshness and a confident energy. Soft hints of cedar and menthol, bergamot and white chocolate also add to the sensation of freshness.

On the palate: It is the Pinot that takes the lead – concentrated and wonderfully enveloping, with a viscosity balanced by a fine-grained tannic structure. The bubbles are perfectly incorporated into the wine’s juicy, enveloping body. The white soils show through on the mid-palate, bringing a saline note (oyster shells) that creates a delicious umami character and a mouthwatering finish. A child of the chalk, Cristal 2018 radiates remarkable freshness despite the very sunny vintage. It unfolds smoothly and gracefully, like a great perfume: Chardonnay sets the top notes with lemony, saline freshness, while Pinot Noir provides the base notes with a captivating, powdery texture.