x
  • Country ranking ?

    496
  • Producer ranking ?

    24
  • Decanting time

    none
  • When to drink

    now to 2025
  • Food Pairing

    Creamy Duck Pâté

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The Story

In 1876 when Tsar Alexander II requested that a special cuvée be created for his court Roederer duly obliged, creating what many regard to be the first prestige cuvée. 

As the political situation in Russia was somewhat unstable, Tsar Alexander feared assassination. He ordered that Champagne bottles be made of clear glass, so that he could see the bubbles and to prevent anyone from hiding a bomb within, as could easily happen with a typical dark green bottle. Roederer commissioned a Flemish glassmaker to create clear lead crystal Champagne bottles with a flat bottom. 

Originally a sweet blend, the Champagne was named “Cristal” after these distinctive clear lead crystal glass bottles.

In 1909, the House of Louis Roederer was regarded as the “Official Purveyor of Champagne to the Imperial Court of Russia” – a business coup that was later reversed following the deposition of the Tsar during the 1917 Revolution. Prohibition in the US caused additional financial difficulties during the early 20th century. However, the house survived these setbacks and today Louis Roederer remains an independent, family-owned business, managed by Roederer’s descendant, Frédéric Rouzaud.

The composition of Cristal is approximately 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. The grapes used in the wine come from only the finest vineyards in Grand Cru villages. Lecaillon talks about the crucial role that vineyards play in quality:

“A majority of our most recent development has been in vineyard operations. We have strict limits set for crop yields and we're using vines that are 25 years old on average. We evaluate the grapes coming from our own vineyards very critically. We try to improve the vineyards that aren't performing well and keep the ones that are at the highest level of quality.

The grapes from our own vineyards produce wines with an alcohol content that’s an average of 1% higher than those produced with purchased grapes. There’s less tart malic acid in our own grapes. Even though we strive for the highest possible acidity, it’s absolutely necessary that this is accompanied by a ripe fruitiness. We belong to the five-percent minority of Champagne's producers who do not use malolactic fermentation to reduce wine acidity. The range of aromas is accentuated by the high-acid structure, much in the same way a salad dressing brings out the aromas in the food.

“And we stopped using cloned vines - we're only using the vine offspring from our own vineyards to ensure natural diversity. In the 1950s, -60s and -70s cloning was far too simple a solution for such a complex thing." Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon explained

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Wine Information

The 1970s were a turning point of sorts for Roederer and Cristal. Camille Olry-Roederer’s grandson Jean-Claude Rouzaud joined the house and gradually took the helm. It was a rough start, as TCA, a chemical compound that causes cork taint, infested the Roederer cellars. The young man faced an enormous undertaking. A huge volume of wine had to be taken off the market and disposed of, and the entire production facility had to be sterilised and rebuilt.
This is also the period of Cristal’s emerging popularity, when Roederer worked with an American importer to make Cristal the world’s most in-demand champagne. A key detail of this plan was to double the price. When Rouzaud was named Decanter Man of the Year in 2001, he said in an interview that one of the most significant things he had done at Roederer was to decrease the production of Cristal from one third to under a fifth of Roederer’s overall production. High price and low availability - alongside uncompromised quality - have made Cristal the most coveted champagne in the world.

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Tasting note

color

Medium, Gold and Bright

ending

Long, Lingering and Spicy

flavors

Apricot, Waxy, Nutty, Dried-fruit, Toasty and Honey

nose

Intense, Refined, Charming and Ripe

recommend

Yes

taste

High in Acidity, Balanced, Concentrated, Well-structured, Developing, Medium-bodied, Elegant, Firm, Focused and Dry

Verdict

Fine and Transparent

Written Notes

Yet another example of the greatness of Cristal. Attractive golden colour. Steady stream of tiny slow bubbles. Ripe and mature delightful nose. Layered and charming aromas of honey, toast, rosemary, and caramel. Sheer perfection in the glass with a soft mousse refreshing the rich mouthful.

Wonderful acidic backbone with real grip. Enticing flavours of ginger, cinnamon and chicken tikka. Seamless, chewy wine that invites you to taste it and to keep on sipping it.

  • 96p
This is in fact more developed than the '66, which this wine otherwise so resembles. The color, mousse, and the explosive nose are perfect. The flavor is tremendously rich and fruity, with a luxurious, fat finish.
  • 96p
Cristal 1969 / The second bubbly in this flight of three had a sweet and toasty nose that had this earthy streak that was more root vegetable. The nose had some woodsy and funky edges, but still possessed positive geyser, game and sunny yellow fruits. The palate was wild and woolly, sweet and buttery, gritty and exotic. Jerry admired its ‘jungle flowers’ and then made one of the most interesting and astute wine comments I have ever heard, ‘You can feel the humidity in the wine.’ It was so true, this bottle of 1969 Cristal really gave off this humid impression. Jef picked up on ‘coffee-coated licorice.’ Jerry added, ‘cat pee,’ and I a touch of cigar. Rob found it ‘kinky’ and observed ‘anise.’ I thought that this bottle was either very slightly corked or affected somehow, as I have had near-perfect bottles of this bring me to my knees, and Rob felt the same. It was still decadent and very, very drinkable
  • 95p
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Information

Origin

Reims, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Average

Fake factory

Be Cautious

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Collection 241

Collection 242

Collection 243

Collection 244

Coteaux Champenois Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Hommage à Camille

Cristal Rosé

Cristal Rosé Vinothèque

Cristal Vinothèque

Rosé Brut

Vintage

Vintage Blanc de Blancs

Vintage Rosé

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