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  • Country ranking ?

    761
  • Producer ranking ?

    51
  • Decanting time

    30min
  • When to drink

    now to 2030
  • Food Pairing

    Chicken with Mediterranean Herbs

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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CRISTAL 2006 was a very warm year, characterised by contrasting rainfall patterns. Following on from an unusually cold and rainy August, a warm, dry September hastened up the ripening process producing distinctive, rich, complex grapes.

ELABORATION

55% Pinot noir – 45% Chardonnay – 20% wines matured in wood (oak barrels) with weekly batonnage – no malolactic fermentation. Cristal is a blend of grand crus from the Reims mountain, the Marne Valley and Côte des Blancs. Matured for 5 years in cellars – 8 months’ resting after disgorging.

Dosage varies between 8 and 10 g/l depending on the vintage.

STYLE

This concentrated, dense, ripe, fresh and long Cristal 2006 is unhesitatingly made using full-bodied, smooth Pinots and fresh, elegant mineral Chardonnays. The ripeness of 2006 harvests makes it possible to achieve a distinctive culmination of matter and purity, richness and softness.

TASTING

Glistening colour with light amber highlights, indicating a year of very fine ripeness.
Soft, almost timid bubbles, in a fine, slow and steady flow.
There is a rich bouquet with confit fruit (lemon, orange), white flowers (lilies) and lightly roasted nuts (hazelnuts and almonds). On airing, the dominant fruitiness becomes intense, almost explosive: a sabayon of vine peaches, apricots, melon and mango.
The mouth features a rounded, complex ballet of fruit. The texture is incredibly concentrated, giving the impression of biting into a ripe, fleshy fruit. The palate is enveloped by this depth of juicy, creamy, silky fruit, which soon makes way for a pure, sharp, graceful freshness. A transition follows from ripe fruit to a clear, light, delicate environment. Ripeness, softness and concentrationarise from freshness and mineral quality, transforming the ripe fruit into a slightly sharp citrus flavour; the warmer notes make way for flowers, citrus zests and nuts. After this rapid succession of flavours, there is a lasting impression of harmony: the aromas, flavours, slight bitterness and freshness come in just the right proportions, intermingling to form a perfectly integrated yet complex whole. A few hints of tatin tart and Danish pastries add a final touch to the already complex range of aromas.

STACKING

An impressive wall of bare bottles dominates the Reims cellars this spring of 2014. It is perfectly rectilinear. "Forty-two thousand bottles of Brut Vintage 2012 gazing down upon you," says Vincent Kramer proudly. The technique of arranging the bottles thus, like a work of contemporary art, is called entreillage, or stacking.

© Rafael Levy

 

A wall like this doesn't build itself; considerable skill is involved. The stackers first lay the base of the stack. At least two stackers are needed to build both ends at the same time. Otherwise the stack collapses. The wall is then filled and built up one bottle at a time. Boards are placed at the front or the back every three or four rows to align the bottles perfectly straight. Boards are also placed upright. No spirit level or plumbline is used to ensure the wall's evenness; nothing but an ordinary ruler – and the stacker's keen eye, of course.
The beauty of this construction, other than its obvious visual appeal, is that it is functional and practical. Any given bottle, even one right at the bottom, can be removed (or, heaven forbid, explode) without disturbing the 41,999 others, each under 7 bars of pressure.
After three to five years of ageing quietly on their side, the bottles undergo riddling: time to take down the wall. At least it will have elicited our admiration for a few years. Build, dismantle, build: it's a perpetual work of art. Here's to the next Brut Vintage wall.

 

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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 cuvée Cristal 2006 is a vintage of the champagne house Roederer, it surprises and seduces by its complex range of aromas. This champagne has a glistening robe with a slightly amber reflection and a muffled and regular effervescence which allows to foresee a beautiful ripeness. On the nose, the Cristal Roederer vintage of 2006 is intense and rich. One can detect notes of candied fruits (orange, lemon), white flowers (lily) and nuts slightly grilled (hazelnut, almond). On the mouth, the wine is broad and complex and has an incredible condensed texture. It oscillates between a fruity depth and a pure freshness : a delicious, delicate and light balance. One can feel the ripeness and the softness that lean on the freshness and minerality. The feeling of harmony dominates thanks to its very accurate aromas that blend perfectly.

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Vintage 2006

A cold winter and springtime frosts laid the foundations for this vintage of abundant yields (12,997 kg/ha). Uneventful flowering was followed by exceptionally hot and sunny weather, which lasted until August. A dank August left producers fearful but fortunately warm, bright conditions in September redressed the balance. Harvest commenced on September 9th, producing grapes high in sugar level but notably low on acidity. The general health of the grapes was sufficient, producing wines which excel over the preceding 2005 vintage, another warm and ample year. The year's greatest wines are supple and expressive and despite the richness they escape being overly heavy. Overt and welcoming upon launch, the best come with excellent capacity for ageing. Winey, and richly fruity characters, most Champagnes regrettably miss some tension and finesse. Wines of the vintage include Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Krug Vintage and Dom Pérignon Rosé.

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Tasting note

color

Light, Straw and Bright

ending

Long, Smooth, Vibrant and Harsh

flavors

Citrus, Perfumed, Bread, Apricot, Honey and Tropical fruits

nose

Intense, Fresh, Ripe and Generous

recommend

Yes

taste

High in Acidity, Low alcohol content, Well-structured, Good texture, Perfectly balanced, Youthful, Medium-bodied, Elegant, Round, Full and Dry

Verdict

Sophisticated and Impressive

Written Notes

CRISTAL 2006 was a very warm year, characterised by contrasting rainfall patterns. Following on from an unusually cold and rainy August, a warm, dry September hastened up the ripening process producing distinctive, rich, complex grapes.  55% Pinot noir – 45% Chardonnay – 20% wines matured in wood (oak barrels) with weekly batonnage – no malolactic fermentation. Cristal is a blend of grand crus from the Reims mountain, the Marne Valley and Côte des Blancs. Matured for 5 years in cellars – 8 months’ resting after disgorging.

An vibrant, flourishing and stylishly creamy bouquet with white flowers, bread and candied fried fruits. The taste begins to open up and it is rich, powerful and has lots of volume. The mousse is very fine and almost imperceptible. A feather light powerhouse, with elegant and harmonious taste with piercing acidity and fine floral notes, clean and long. The wine is becoming enjoyable, but there is no real rush to uncork it.

  • 96p
Just fantastic from the start. A colossal power and beautiful rumbling pinot maturity. It's like chewing on the ripest grapes from Aÿ and Verzenay. At the same time ultra stylish down all the unmistakable cristal essence, peach and mango sweetness, pineapple coconut, vanilla and unreal sprightly acidity and citrus flowery. Many similarities with 2002, but with a clearer pinot touch.
  • 94p

A very good vintage for Cristal, but perhaps not one of its best. Linear and delicate as one would expect, combined with a steely, minerally core. There are subtle hints of citrus and white flowers all backed by refreshing acidity. Enjoyable now but best after a few more years in bottle.

 

  • 94p

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. Complex but very youthful nose. So tight and coiled. Still so tight it's almost metallic on the finish. What a shame it is that people are drinking this already. There is massive density here but not yet that much flavour and development. Lots going on in the finish. Very long. Wait!!!!

  • 93p
A warm vintage with super ripe grapes. The champagnes are rich style wines. Over 60% Pinot Noir in blend. 1.5 years of ageing in bottle before disgorging.
  • 92p
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Information

Origin

Reims, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Above Average

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Below Average

Fake factory

None

Glass time

1h

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Coteaux Champenois Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Hommage à Camille

Cristal Rosé

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Vintage

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Inside Information

Decanter - Richard Juhlin - December 01, 2014

97 Points "Fantastic from the start. A colossal power of beautiful rumbling Pinot maturity. It's like chewing on the ripest grapes from Aÿ and Verzenay. At the same time ultra stylish: unmistakable Cristal essence of peach and mango sweetness, pineapple, coconut, vanilla, sprightly acidity and citrus blossom. Many similarities with 2002 but a clearer Pinot touch."

 

JamesSuckling.com - Nick Stock - July 03, 2014

97 Points "Deep pinot-driven presence is the first and lasting impression. Power with control. Superfine bead, bread and spiced biscuits, candied ripe red fruits and a sense of tight-knit complexity. Some grapefruit, lemon pith & gently flinty notes too - impressive nose. In the mouth it is rich, powerful, mouth-filling and flavoursome with a core of the same biscuity red fruit flavour, savoury nutty notes and a wrap of assertive, persistent acidity that holds rich powerful flavour deep and focused whilst maintaining a polished, gently creamy texture. Long chalky bread and biscuit finish. A superb pinot-driven vintage. "

 

vinousmedia.com - Antonio Galloni - May 23, 2014

97 Points "Broad, ample and resonant on the palate, the 2006 Cristal dazzles with its pure richness and volume. Readers need to give the 2006 another 4-5 years in bottle, perhaps longer, as the wine appears to be shutting down a bit. Tasted next to the 2002, today the 2006 is a bit less opulent but just as intense, layered and deep. This is a fabulous showing."

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