Louis Roederer - Cristal 2015

ID:
• Origin: Champagne, France
• Appellation: Champagne AOC
• Grape varieties: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
• Alcohol percentage: 12.0%
• Style: Powerful and layered, crisp and chalky
• Ageing potential: Now until 2045+
• Rating: 95+/100 Wine Advocate – 96/100 Vinous

Cristal 2015 is a serious, vinous Champagne with great texture and a distinct chalky tension. The nose opens with citrus oil, ripe white stone fruit and floral notes, followed by toasted almond, brioche and a clear, stony minerality. On the palate, the wine is deep and compact, with a very fine mousse, a concentrated fruit core and a saline-chalky grip that carries the length. The finish is long, precise and serene, with candied citrus, spices and lingering "chalky" finesse.

Vinification.
The grapes come from a selection of Cristal plots (especially Grand Cru terroirs) and are vinified parcel by parcel. Approximately 25% of the base wines are fermented and/or aged in wood (neutral oak) to add extra texture without losing freshness. Malolactic fermentation is avoided to preserve tension and purity. The wine is bottled for the second fermentation in the bottle and then aged for a very long time sur lattes (approximately 7 years). Dosage: 7 g/l. Disgorgement: November 2022. This is followed by additional bottle aging before release (duration not specified).

The domain.
Maison Louis Roederer (founded in 1776) is one of the great references in Champagne and is exceptional due to the large proportion of grapes from its own vineyards, which allows for a very precise, parcel-by-parcel selection. Cristal was first created in 1876 and has since been the house's prestige cuvée: only made in years when ripeness and freshness perfectly coincide. Roederer works with a pronounced focus on terroir, long aging and an environmentally conscious approach in the vineyards, with great attention to soil balance and biodiversity. This results in Champagnes that are not only impressive upon release, but especially with bottle aging show increasing nuance and chalky depth.