Roederer’s 2018 Rosé Vintage, disgorged in March 2026 with a dosage of seven grams per liter, blends Pinot Noir from Cumières and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ with Chardonnay from Chouilly. It offers up aromas of wild raspberries, orange peel and pomegranate mingled with hints of blood orange. It has a medium- to full-bodied, ample and textural palate that is nicely concentrated in the context of the vintage, with a rich core of fruit enlivened by vibrant acidity and a pinpoint mousse, concluding with a perfumed finish. As ever, it is produced by infusion through skin contact, with the resulting Pinot Noir must subsequently racked and co-fermented with Chardonnay.

Whereas the 2016 vintage was rather tightly knit and incisive, the 2018 Cristal is more enveloping and charming. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of ripe citrus, white peach and warm bread mingled with hints of pear, it is medium- to full-bodied, ample and textural, with a layered, nicely concentrated core of fruit underpinned by ripe yet vibrant acidity and enlivened by a pinpoint mousse. Much like the 2004, it may gain considerably from additional time post-disgorgement, even if it is already approachable. Sourced from 57 plots selected with an emphasis on freshness, it was disgorged in January 2026.

Produced from four plots on the mid-slope in Avize, Roederer’s 2019 Blanc de Blancs, disgorged in December 2025 with a dosage of seven grams per liter, is a success, unfurling in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, nashi pear and Granny Smith apple mingled with blanched almonds and warm bread. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, concentrated, ample and textural, with a generous, fragrant core of fruit underpinned by bright acidity that leads into a persistent, saline finish. Fuller-bodied and more enveloping than the Blanc de Noirs, it gets my nod this year.

The 2008 Cristal Rosé Late Release is brilliant, unfurling in the glass with a deep bouquet of raspberries, plums and cherries mingled with white flowers and buttered toast. Full-bodied, harmoniously balanced and seamless, it possesses a deep, vibrant core of fruit, with the additional complexity and texture imparted by extended maturation—both on the lees and after disgorgement—and racy acidity seamlessly integrated into its pure fruit. Layered and multifaceted, it is full of energy, enlivened by a pillowy mousse, and concludes with a long, saline, delicately raspberry-inflected finish. Disgorged in 2022 with a dosage of eight grams per liter, it derives from four plots—two plots of Pinot Noir in Aÿ and one plot of Chardonnay in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and one in Avize. In some respects, it recalls the exceptional 2013 Cristal Rosé, ranking among Lécaillon’s greatest achievements and the finest wines of the vintage.

The second edition of the Late Release program, the 2008 Cristal Late Release underwent an additional three years of lees aging and is showing exceptionally well. Disgorged in 2022 with a dosage of eight grams per liter, it unfurls in the glass with aromas of citrus peel, white peach, buttered toast and smoke mingled with oceanic nuances. This is followed by a full-bodied, concentrated and textural palate that's racy and incisive, with huge reserves of structuring chalky extract, bright acidity and a long, saline finish. Harmoniously balanced, it offers a terrific drinking experience, enhanced by its additional post-disgorgement aging. Derived from 37 plots and vinified largely without malolactic fermentation, it occupies a middle ground between the original release and the Vinothèque bottling in terms of maturation.