2016 Louis Roederer Cristal

Description

Champagne Louis Roederer was established in 1776, with the first vintage of their prestige cuvée, Cristal, having been created exactly one hundred years later. It is produced uniquely during the best years, when Pinot Noir (58% in 2016) and Chardonnay (42%) have attained perfect maturity.

The 2016 vintage was characterised by particularly marked weather variations. Spring was cool, wet and relatively late, whereas summer was warm and dry with a heatwave in late August, followed by dry and sunny weather over the harvest period which was highly beneficial to the ripening of the grapes. Pinot Noir thrived in these dry, warm, sunny conditions, contributing an intensely fruity character and silky-smooth, caressing texture to the final wine. The Chardonnays were just as outstanding, although more chiselled and saline in character.

With magnificent, fine, slow-moving bubbles, the bouquet is intense, deep and precise, combining scents of white flowers, roasted citrus fruits and ripe peach. The palate is concentrated, juicy and ripe, with a gorgeous, luscious texture coating the mouth. The bubbles are tactile, perfectly integrated and almost salty. This is an elegant, first rate Cristal, being at once crisp, saline and having intense, pure, aromatic depth. The finish is long, chalky and crystalline (for drinking 2025-2045+).