Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal 2016

The bouquet is intense, deep, and highly precise, revealing delicate aromas of white flowers such as acacia, mingled with notes of concentrated and roasted citrus, notably lemon, as well as nuances of perfectly ripe yellow fruits like peach and mirabelle plum. After a few moments of aeration, subtle iodized, powdery, and finely toasted hints emerge, reflecting the effect of yeast autolysis during aging and bringing complexity and depth to this wine. On the palate, the attack is immediate, soft, and delicate, marked by a sabayon of ripe, juicy fruits. The effervescence is fine, integrated, and almost saline. Notes of harvest and oyster shell give way to a powdery texture, slightly chocolaty. Cristal 2016 is remarkably pure, combining finesse and concentration with outstanding elegance.

“2016 was very different from 2015, which was hot and dry. The 2015's are big, somewhat austere wines that require aging to become refined, unlike the wines of 2016, which are more balanced, less powerful but fresher, brighter, and more intense. What I love about the 2016 wines is the long salivating, saline finish: they start fruity and ripe but finish fresh and with a chalky focus.” Chef de Cave, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon.

Founded in 1776, and property of the same family since 1819, Champagne Louis Roederer is today one of the last major champagne houses to be an independent family affair. The annual production of its wines (Brut Premier, Carte Blanche, Brut Vintage, Rosé Vintage, Blanc de Blancs, Cristal, Cristal Rosé) represents just over three million bottles, distributed to 100 countries worldwide. In 1974, almost 200 years after the establishment of the Champagne house of Louis Roederer and 100 years after the creation of Cristal, Jean-Claude Rouzaud decided to create the Cristal Rosé cuvée. To achieve this, he selected old-vine Pinot Noir grapes using massal selection, which involves propagation from the vineyard’s most successful plants. 

Perfect with white fish such as monk fish, and white meats.