75 cl, 12% Alc.

Louis Roederer Cristal
2013

2013
  • 75 cl, 12% Alc.
  • Aging potential: It is great to enjoy now but has further potential 20 years
  • White

Starting price

ÂŁ 199
Champagne, France
An refreshing luxury Prestige Cuvee. The first vintage goes back to 1876, and forms a legendary part of wine history. It was specially created for the Russian Tsar Alexander II. The 2013 vintage not only promises to be long-lived, but demands it. It is deep and pure with complex layers of flowers and outstanding vivacity.
Aging potential: It is great to enjoy now but has further potential 20 years
  • 75 cl, 12% Alc.
  • Aging potential: It is great to enjoy now but has further potential 20 years
  • White
RP 96/100
DEC 96/100
Robert Parker
Notes of crisp yellow orchard fruit, white flowers, blanched almonds and warm brioche introduce the 2013 Cristal, a full-bodied, layered and incisive wine that's taut and chiseled but also notably exuberant in a vintage that I admire immensely but which can sometimes present an austere side. Deep, concentrated and penetrating, it's complemented by a pinpoint mousse and concludes with a long, saline finish. Less introverted than its 2012 predecessor, readers won't regret trying a bottle of the 2013 Cristal young—even if I'd recommend forgetting some for a decade too. (Reviewed by William Kelley)
Decanter
The peak of drinkability is between 15 and 20 years from the harvest; so says Jean-Baptiste, but he has not spared the taster the wondrous early impression of perfection in the making. A soft gold with glistening

Louis Roederer

History

Family-owned Louis Roederer is one of the most refined houses of Champagne. When the connoisseur and entrepreneur Louis Roederer inherited the Champagne House in 1833, he wanted to grasp and excel at every single stage of the wine-making process. He put a special focus on the quality of the soil, and bought the best vineyards in Champagne in order to personally nurture the vines. In 1876, he created the first ever CuvĂ©e de Prestige especially for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, and named it ‘Cristal’. The Louis Roederer House remains a family-owned company until today. It is currently managed by FrĂ©dĂ©ric Rouzaud, the seventh generation of the lineage.

Technology

Continuing in the tradition and philosophy of Louis Roederer, a deep attention and knowledge of soils is the foundation of production at this Champagne House. The careful work of accomplishing perfect grape maturity relies on tailor-made viticulture, a respect for biodiversity and biodynamic cultivation. The range of soils and vineyards that covers three Champagne districts -- the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne, and the CÎte des Blancs -- allows the House to create rich and alluring wines.

Champagne

Champagne is the most northern wine region in France that produces the world’s most famous sparkling wines. The area is cooler than any other French wine region, which gives its grapes their trademark acidity and tartness. The word “champagne” translates to "open countryside" and its rolling white, chalky soils contribute to the development of the vines, giving them more minerality and good drainage. The changing soils and climates mean that different grapes can be grown there, which again, is perfect for the production of Champagne.

In most cases, the blending of different grapes from different plots and different vintages is key to Champagne wine-making. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier form the foundations of Champagne wine-making, although there are four other approved grapes on the list as well; Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane.

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