Rosy pale amber colour with some definite evolution. Very pungent nose and notably less rich than the Cristal Rosé 2015 served just beforehand. Positively savoury, dense and distinctive, presumably the result of Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon’s special bottle-shaking technique of ‘bâtonnage in the bottle’ for these Late Release wines. 

The first commercialised Vinothèque (bottling experiments in 1990 and 1993). A great Chardonnay year. From magnum. Bright greenish gold. SO youthful on the nose! On the palate there’s an extraordinary combination of honeyed richness and energetic leafiness. Very complex and still amazingly youthful for a 31-year-old wine. Long and tingly – such tension again, the overriding Cristal characteristic.

Wonderfully aromatic and lifted. Citrus and energetic. Lots of exuberant fruit but overall brisk and superbly refreshing. 

Not made, like most pink prestige champagnes, by simply adding some still red to the blend for the white version but a very different animal. From six or seven grand cru villages, particularly Aÿ, Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger (‘our Montrachet’, according to Lécaillon), fewer ingredients than the white version. More phenolic ripeness and nicely polymerised tannins. Very, very pale copper colour. And the taste and structure so different from a white Cristal. I’m a sucker for Cristal Rosé. Rich almondy nose. Very broad and very long. Utterly luxurious and flattering.

Cool vintage. Disgorged in 2022 with a dosage of 8 g/l and then aged further for four years to eliminate the Marmite flavour that can result from Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon’s special bottle-shaking-of-lees technique for Late Release wines, which sounds so labour-intensive but apparently takes only one day. He’s very pro salinity and is against late disgorged wines because the process is too oxidative. Made only in 2002, 2008, 2012, 2015 and 2016 so far. Release date decided purely on taste. Such a contrast with the ‘regular’ Cristal 2018 from a warmer year. This is all grapefruit and tension – even now at 18 years old!