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  • Country ranking ?

    654
  • Producer ranking ?

    39
  • Decanting time

    5min
  • When to drink

    Now
  • Food Pairing

    Salmon 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 ...

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Wine Information

In 1876, a Roederer champagne made for Russia’s Tsar Alexander II became the world’s first luxury cuvée. But with the sudden collapse of the Russian market, the champagne house endured a long struggle on the verge of bankruptcy. Eventually, the family’s shrewd patriarchs managed to turn things around, and today, Roederer is the most solvent of Champagne’s houses; indeed, its future looks Cristal clear.
Roederer is one of the few top champ...

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Average Bottle Price

2016 2015 2012 2005
5 632€ +33.7% 4 211€ +20.7% 3 490€ +26.2% 2 765€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

color

Medium, Gold and Bright

ending

Long, Lingering and Flavorful

flavors

Nutty, Mineral, Truffles, Apricot, Smoky and Honey

nose

Open, Complex, Rich and Ripe

recommend

Yes

taste

High in Acidity, Complex, Concentrated, Perfectly balanced, Developing, Medium-bodied, Harmonious, Elegant, Vivid and Dry

Verdict

Sophisticated and Excellent

Written Notes

The 1955 Cristal was a gorgeous bottle, direct from the Domaine. Merci beaucoup! The nose has lots of wafer with a side of limestone, unfurling into caramel and a rusty sweetness. It had great sweetness but was a bit stony and rocky. Someone admired, ‘so much weight,’ but I got a touch of burnt rubber on the finish that kept this score from being even higher (95).
  • 95p
During an incomparable evening at the restaurant Pontus in the Green House, we succeeded in picking out three basically perfect Champagnes in different styles. A beautifully floral and acidly austere 1961 Salon was the first on the stage, before a Latour-like 1914 Bollinger blew away any memory of the Salon bottle. Last but not least was this perfect charmer. Simply the most perfect, caramel-sated cuvée.
  • 99p
Cristal is one of those rare champagnes that truly blossom after long bottle ageing. It almost hurts to consume Cristal too young, since it really reveals its true character after 20-30 years of age and evolves beautifully decades after that. This wine is again a great proof of that. The vintage 1955 turned out to be a superior vintage that resulted in a large crop of excellent quality grapes. Golden bright colour with small quickly evaporating bubbles. Intense and complex nose that has opened wonderfully. Touch of toastiness, nuttiness, dried fruits, apricots, and apples with honeyed overtones. The still crisp and vinous taste shows lesser mousse but really intense and concentrated minerality combined with nutty dried fruit characteristics. Lovely long finish with lemon tart and brioche flavours. Drink up with good company!
  • 95p
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Information

Origin

Reims, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Satisfactory

Investment potential

Below Average

Fake factory

None

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Carte Blanche Demi-Sec

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Collection 241

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Collection 243

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Coteaux Champenois Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Hommage à Camille

Cristal Rosé

Cristal Rosé Vinothèque

Cristal Vinothèque

Rosé Brut

Starck Brut Nature Rosé

Vintage

Vintage Blanc de Blancs

Vintage Rosé

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