Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal
Ref: 74690a
Price:
£159.95
Roederer's Cristal was Tsar Alexander Il's favourite Champagne, so much so that he ordered the special the. transparent bottles in which it appears today - only then they were made of real crystal. 1 suppose the Tsarina drank it too, especially since the Cristal of that time was very sweet, a genuine 'ladies' wine'! Obviously, the Russian court felt sweet Champagne was manly enough for them - and the sugar would have come in useful against the cold.
Now, of course, Cristal is gloriously brut - it is also drop-dead gorgeous. It remains a chef-d'oeuvre of Champagne blending, drawing on the liquid gold of Louis Roederer's own vineyards. The family firm's success in the pre-Revolution Russian market gave them the basis on which to buy precious vineyards in the best parts of the region, in villages such as A~, Hautvillers, Cumi~res, Lotivois, Verzy, Verzenay, Vertus, Avize, Chouilly and Le Mesnil -to me, the most poetic names in all wine growing, an entrancing litany that makes the mouth water. These 190 hectares of vines provide about 75 per cent of the house's needs and Cristal itself always comes from the family vineyards. It is usually made of 55 per cent Pinot Noir and 45 per cent Chardonnay, giving it a sublime combination of gravitas and depth, together with ethereal scent and charm.
The whole process of Champagne-making is long and laborious, but in the case of Cristal, it is a very serious financial investment, since it is left to mature on yeast for five to six years and then spends a minimum period of six months in the cellars in Reims, after having been disgorged - the process by which the sediment is removed but the bubbles kept in!
Great wines are made by great men, or women; nonentities make soda pop! Certainly, Roederer maintains its irrefutable quality thanks to the skill and dedication of a great man jean-Claude Rouzaud. The grandson of Madame Camille Olry-Roederer, he is both a trained oenologist and an ace businessman, who is always willing to make the financial sacrifices necessary to achieve maximum quality. He aims high, but then he is an experienced pilot who flies the company plane to meet Roederer's agents all over Europe
Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal is produced using only the finest vintages from crus guaranteed to originate from the Louis Roederer vineyards. Cristal is left to mature on its sediment for five to six years and spends a minimum period of six months in the cellar after disgorgement. The "liqueur de dosage" is prepared with the greatest of care from a selected blend of 8 to 10 of the very best crus from the Louis Roederer vineyard and then left to age in oak 4 to 10 years.
On the contact with the air, Champagne Cristal releases a very fine, intense bouquet, scents of white flowers borne by hawthorn and vine and the aroma of fresh almonds. A supple, generous attack, silky on the palate but delicately substantial and perfectly blended. There is a subtle vinosity to the taste which moderates its strength well, persisting to a lingering yet lively finish.
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