Brilliant yellow with light amber highlights. A beautiful mousse with fine cordon of persistent and regular bubbles. The nose is intense and delicate. Revealing a clean and well-blended mixture of flavors of honey, cocoa, lightly toasted hazelnuts, candied citrus fruit… without exuberance, but luxurious simplicity. On the palate, a savory explosion of ripe fruit on the attack, revealing red fruit, white chocolate, caramel and Danish pastry, typical of Cristal. Silky, concentrated texture, leaning on intense, powerful and vinous structure, but maintaining refinement. The palate builds up to attain a delicious sensation of a well-blended harmony of flavors. A fresh finish with a hint of bitterness making it almost crunchy. All the exceptional characteristics of the 2002 vintage have literally been captured in this 2002 Cristal, which is generous and lush, revealing perfect balance between concentration and finesse, freshness and vinosity, intensity and refinement. In three words: proud, rich and luxurious.

It is always fascinating to re-discover vintages of Cristal that have been left to mature in the cellars after being disgorged. 9 years after its disgorgement date, this Cristal has taken on a whole new dimension and the finish reminds one of a fine white from neighboring Burgundy. Impressive and extremely seductive! The nose is flawless, aromatic, intense, deep and dense. It reveals an exceptionally rich and complex bouquet dominated by fruity, zesty and roasted aromas combined with enticing notes of vanilla and a hint of truffle. This wine coats the palate with its texture and volume on entry to the palate and offers a concentrated mouthfeel underpinned by a smooth effervescence. But there is definitely a little extra something on the finish: exceptional finesse, a chalky freshness and a menthol touch which give it such intensity on the finish, the signature of a fine white wine.

Brilliant yellow color displaying light amber nuances, combined with an ultra-fine, persistent, soft effervescence. Intense, highly expressive bouquet on the first nose. The aromatic elegance and precision of chardonnay is apparent: white fruit, sweet pollen, fine citrus fruit and very pure minerality. After a few minutes, the aromas move on to more confit, lightly grilled hints. The bouquet is rich and sweet, almost generous, remaining precise and impeccably refined. The bite in the mouth is full and creamy, revealing an incredible concentration of juicy fruits: yellow peach, apricot, mango and others. This silky, meaty concentration, which is both dense and soft – and typical of great pinot noir – is immediately combined with a sophisticated touch of acidity, bringing the wine alive with minerality. The overriding impression is one of a true harmony of flavors, senses and silky textures... absolute sensuality.

Glistening color with light amber highlights, indicating a year of very fine ripeness. Soft, almost timid bubbles, in a fine, slow and steady flow. There is a rich bouquet with confit fruit (lemon, orange), white flowers (lilies) and lightly roasted nuts (hazelnuts and almonds). On airing, the dominant fruitiness becomes intense, almost explosive: a sabayon of vine peaches, apricots, melon and mango. The mouth features a rounded, complex ballet of fruit. The texture is incredibly concentrated, giving the impression of biting into a ripe, fleshy fruit. The palate is enveloped by this depth of juicy, creamy, silky fruit, which soon makes way for a pure, sharp, graceful freshness. A transition follows from ripe fruit to a clear, light, delicate environment. Ripeness, softness and concentrationarise from freshness and mineral quality, transforming the ripe fruit into a slightly sharp citrus flavor; the warmer notes make way for flowers, citrus zests and nuts. After this rapid succession of flavors, there is a lasting impression of harmony: the aromas, flavors, slight bitterness and freshness come in just the right proportions, intermingling to form a perfectly integrated yet complex whole. A few hints of Tarte Tatin and Danish pastries add a final touch to the already complex range of aromas.

Cristal 2007 has a golden hue with slightly orange colors and warm highlights. It has impeccable, fine, regular, and dynamic bubbles. Its classic bouquet is both elegant and discreet. The attack of juicy ripe fruits (Williams pear) and slightly acid red fruits (redcurrants) combined with nuances of hot pastries and Tarte Tatin that have just been taken out of the oven. The wine is ready to reveal its many qualities and, after a few minutes in the glass, reveals notes of white chocolate and hazelnuts produced by the fermentation in wood of some of the wines from the 2007 harvest. This juxtaposition of aromas of ripe, acid, and sweet fruits with the more roasted notes resulting from ageing becomes more pronounced over time and produces a real impression of depth. The attack in the mouth is concentrated and continues with mature fruits. The wine is prolonged by smoky flavors, once again creating the impression of natural depth. The textures are silky, velvety, and almost luscious; they provide perfect overtones to the wine’s freshness in a luscious and sensual ensemble. Powdery and salty nuances stimulate the edges of the tongue, adding a precise and energetic quality. The final phase of the tasting is predominantly an impression of refinement and lightness.