The 2016 Champagne Cristal is transparent and complex, with lovely aromas of fresh flowers. Medium-bodied and chiseled, with great texture, well-defined saltiness, and delicate notes of shortbread, it’s a shimmering and electric wine with fantastic detail. It has a concentrated, chalky profile and is flush with crushed stones. It will demand some patience, but this is a fantastic wine in this vintage for Cristal. Bravo.

Croissants, sliced pears, apples, white flowers and almonds on the nose of this creamy and elegant blanc de blancs. Very silky on the palate, with almost imperceptible bubbles and delicate pastry notes. Soft and beautifully balanced. Chardonnay from the Grand Cru village of Avize. Drink now or hold.

This has wonderfully pure fruit aromas, such as peaches, Asian pears and golden apples, alongside lemon curd, gingerbread, chalk and jasmine. Rock salt and oyster shells follow on the palate, which is so seamless that you scarcely notice the super-fine bubbles. It’s concentrated yet gentle at the same time, with impressive resolution and integration of all components. Salty and creamy at the very-long finish. Fantastic! 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

This iconic Champagne is expensive but worth it, especially for that very special person. It opens with a complex, ethereal bouquet of citrus, blanched almonds, and minerals. Very fresh on the palate with additional notes of lemon cream, patisserie and hazelnut, finishing long and mineral-like. A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay sourced from 45 Cristal vineyard plots with 25% matured in oak barrels. The base wine does not go through malo, and the dosage is 7 g/L after almost 7 years sur lattes.

Bouquet of lemony citrus, stone fruit, bread dough and spice. Juicy, firm palate revealing citrus, oyster shells, and a persistent mousse. Finishes long with a mineral note. Priced low enough that it could be served as a party wine. Made 55% from 2020 vintage, 35% from the Perpetual Reserve, and 10% from older vintages sourced from the Cristal estate and aged in French oak foudres; aged 3+ years sur lattes. The varietal mix is 41% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 24% Meunier. 22% of the wine goes through malo, and the dosage is the same as Cristal, 7 g/L.