Louis Roederer : Cristal 2015

An exceptional champagne combining concentration and freshness

The estate

Founded in 1776 in Reims, the Louis Roederer Champagne House has remained family-owned and independent. After more than 200 years of existence, the House of Louis Roederer is still in the hands of the same family. Today, headed by Frédéric Rouzaud, who represents the seventh generation of the family line, Louis Roederer embodies the excellence of Champagne wines throughout the world thanks to its cuvées that are made like works of art.

The vineyard

With nearly 241 hectares of vines, the House of Louis Roederer derives its strength from its extraordinary vineyard, made up entirely of Grand and Premier Crus in the Marne Valley, the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. A veritable mosaic of terroirs, the Maison Louis Roederer's vineyards are divided into 410 plots that reflect the full diversity of the Champagne region's soils.

The wine

The house's iconic cuvée, first created in 1876 for the Tsar of Russia, Cristal is produced from 45 exceptional plots, spread over 7 Grand Crus of the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs.

Cristal 2015 thus originates from 3 emblematic vineyards of the house: 1/3 from the vineyards of "la Rivière", 1/3 from "la Montagne" and 1/3 from "la Côte".  The crus used to make this exceptional champagne are Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Ay, Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant.

The vintage

The year 2015 had a mild and wet winter and a hot and particularly dry summer. The rainy spells recorded in the second half of August saved the vineyard, thus preserving the freshness and concentration of the grapes. The harvest was quantitative and of exceptional quality for this year marking the recognition of the Champagne region as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Winemaking and ageing

The work in the vineyard is guided by ever more conscientious viticultural practices which allow us to obtain a perfect balance and a superb grape ripeness. The wine-making process is carried out under wood for 25%. No malolactic fermentation. The dosage of this Brut Champagne is 7 grams per litre.

Blend

Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%).

Characteristics and tasting tips for Cristal 2015 from Louis Roederer

Tasting

Colour
The colour is of a shining, beautiful golden yellow. The effervescence is lively and of a great finesse.

Nose
The nose reveals a particularly rich aromatic expression. Concentrated fragrances of yellow fruit (white peach, mirabelle plum), hazelnut and roasted almonds blend harmoniously. With aeration, the bouquet reveals its ideal alliance between the characteristic notes of almond, harvest and sweet pollen, from the Chardonnay, and delicious fruitiness (red and juicy fruits) from the Pinot Noir.

Palate
Lively with great concentration, the palate opens on a silky touch unveiling scents of preserved citrus fruit and iodised spices. The palate draws out its freshness and precision until the finish which has subtle woody and saline notes, bringing a lovely combination of finesse and concentration.