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, composed of Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs.

Cristal Vinothèque radiates the notes of the original Cristal, as well as notes of iodine, salinity and a surprising youthfulness. Not quite the same, but not really different either. More “Cristal” than ever. At the end of a long meditation lasting two decades, combined with late disgorgement and fine-tuning to the point of perfect equilibrium, it emerges as a fresh perspective of champagne, an even more perfect and exciting vision.

Cristal Rosé Vinothèque 2004 celebrates the remarkable adventure of just a small number of bottles, laid down for 20 years in the Louis Roederer cellars, in the quest for perfect balance. This cuvée was aged for 9 years “sur lattes” followed by 5 years “sur pointes” and benefitted from a further 6 years rest after disgorgement. 20% of the wines vinified in oak. No malolactic fermentation. The dosage is 8 g/L. 

A still very vibrant salmon pink hue flecked with orange and copper nuances. A persistent stream of smooth, ultra-fine bubbles. The bouquet discloses lovely tangy, concentrated fruit (raspberry liqueur, Roussillon apricots) and ripe citrus (blood oranges) interwoven with hints of smoke and toasted, chocolatey spices. After aeration, the bouquet becomes more intense and appears to be almost younger, revealing scents of rose and peony petals and a mixture of fern, damp chalk and spicy and smoky notes, typical of the old Pinot noir vines in Aÿ. The palate is a vibrant mixture of fragrant aromas, concentration, texture and freshness. The volume immediately creates the impression of roundness that is gradually drawn out through the delicacy of the bubbles. There is a horizontality here, a breadth created by the concentrated fruit and the autolysis, but this then takes on a vertical and tapered character thanks to the sensation of energetic, chalky soil. The initial soft caress of substance and bubbles, the ethereal lightness of the powdery, drying chalk, and the lingering, mouth-wateringly saline length on the palate are spellbinding. One succumbs to the delightful sensation of umami with its smoky, iodised, saline and refreshing characteristics.

A classic and very generous vintage that blessed us with both quality and quantity! 2004 was characterised by relatively cool and consistent temperatures throughout the season and a significant lack of rainfall (around 30%) during the growing cycle in spite of a particularly rainy and cool August. This was fortunately followed by a dry and sunny September which helped the grapes to ripen spectacularly well. On September 20th, as a reward for the intensive work carried out in the Louis Roederer vineyards, the grapes attained the perfect balance between ripeness and freshness, the indication of an outstanding vintage.