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Uutiset
Wine & Spirits - Joshua Greene - November 2010
100 Points One of the best Cham "There is no singular flavor, but rather a resonant chord, a series of oppositions that create the invisible intensity of an electric current, the power of the charge balanced by the elegance of the flavor and the structure of the wine. You could describe it as light and brisk, or bold and intense; either way you'll still be tasting it ten minutes later."
Wine & Spirits - Peter Liem - November 2010
100 Points "Elegant and exquisitely detailed, the ’02 Cristal Rosé is the finest rosé Champagne currently on the market."
Quarterly Review of Wines - July 01, 2010
Wine of the Year "There is no doubt: The best wine tasted this year was the 2002 Roederer Cristal Rosé ... This wine was a rare experience, and eclipsed all the others we tasted — not just Champagne! ... It’s sensuous, with soft salmon color, and a seductive frothiness that bursts on the palate. There is a mosaic of flavors: pear, cherry, raspberry, vanilla, toasted nuts, and a bit of lime. There’s a rich and refined Pinot Noir and Chardonnay character. And there’s brioche, almonds and cream on the ultra-long, richly textured finish."
The Wine Advocate - Antonio Galloni - December 2009
95+ Points "The bouquet is beautifully woven into a fabric of layered, ripe fruit. With some time in the glass, the wine’s textural beauty becomes more apparent, but this is a Champagne that needs bottle age."
Wine Spectator - Bruce Sanderson - November 30, 2009
90 Points "This is very fruity, boasting apple, cherry and berry flavors, making it open and approachable. There's concentration as well, with a vibrant structure and a berry aftertaste."
Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
Cristal Rosé was first born a hundred years after the original Cristal, in 1974. It is an intriguing and particular prestige cuvée rosé, as it has the palest colour, yet a contrastingly fleshy, fruity, well-built palate of amazing freshness. Its secret is in the 60 per cent Pinot Noir from two hectares of Roederer’s own old-vine vineyards in Aÿ, Bonotte-Pierre-Robert and La Côte du Moulin, which are now cultivated according to biodynamic principles. It is these ripe, concentrated grapes that give the wine its delicate hue via the saignée, or bleeding method. Then 30 per cent of Côte des Blancs Grand Cru Chardonnay from Le Mesnil sur Oger and Avize is added to give spine and elegance.
Wine Information
2002 HARVESTING:
An extraordinary year that brought together all the factors that make for a great Champagne year: constantly warm temperatures without excessive heat or sun preceded by a markedly mild winter; a reduction in rainfall (about 20%) during the growth cycle; cool nights and a cold dry north-easterly wind from August to September. These exceptionally favourable conditions combined meant that the grapes matured perfectly and their fl avours were nicely concentrated.
Harvesting started 12 September for the chardonnays with an average sugar concentration superior to 11% natural alcohol.
PRODUCTION:
In 1974, nearly 200 years after the creation of the Maison Louis Roederer and 100 years after the creation of Cristal, Jean-Claude Rouzaud decided to create Cristal Rosé. To do this end, he selected old vine pinot noir grapes, according to specifi c characteristics, located on the fi nest of the Aÿ vineyards. Exceptionally, these vines lie on a limestone block with clay and limestone soil and in the best years, the vines achieve extraordinarily mature fruit with a crystalline purity of acidity corresponding perfectly to the Cristal style. Today these vines are organically
grown.
STYLE:
Clearly imbued with the Cristal style, this wine has purity, fruit, fi nesse and incomparable harmony. In three words: proud, rich, and luxurious.
ELABORATION:
60% Pinot noir - 40% chardonnay – 20% of the wines vinifi ed in oak barrels with weekly
batonnage. No malolactic fermentation. To create Rosé champagnes, Louis Roederer still uses the saignée method after cold maceration that can last 5 to 8 days in the liquid phase. Cristal Rosé is matured 6 years in the cellar and rests for 8 months after disgorgement to perfect its maturity. Dosage of between 8 and 10 g/l is adapted to each vintage.
Vuosikerta 2002
A cold winter and a mild late spring cued for a perfect June allowing early and fast flowering. Outstanding weather conditions prevailed and the season went on without dramatic turns. Rains in August raised concerns regarding gray rot, but finally sunshine and dry conditions throughout September resulted in an abundant crop of largely healthy fruit (11,930 kg/ha). Dehydration due to wind further aided in achieving perfect ripeness and additional concentration. This, and the cool nights, helped in retaining fresh acidity and, despite the ripeness (10.3% potential alcohol), the wines did not suffer from heaviness or a lack of life. A near-perfect vintage, which produced balanced Champagnes consistently around the region. The best show an impeccable combination of freshness, power, structure and finesse. However, some have matured aromatically quicker than expected and are already past their peak. 2002 produced an abundance of spectacular champagnes, such as Dom Pérignon (the entire range), Krug Vintage and Clos du Mesnil, Piper-Heidsieck Rare, Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Ruinart Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Rosé, Salon Le Mesnil and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, to name a few.
