The richness and elegance of an exceptional champagne by Louis Roederer
The property
Founded in 1776 in Reims, Louis Roederer is a Champagne House that has managed to remain family-owned and independent. After more than 200 years of existence, the Louis Roederer House is still owned by the same family. Now led by Frédéric Rouzaud, who represents the seventh generation of the family's lineage, Louis Roederer boasts and embodies the excellence of Champagne around the world, through cuvées crafted like works of art.
The vineyard
With nearly 241 hectares of vines, the Louis Roederer House derives its strength from its extraordinary vineyard, made up solely of Grands and Premiers Crus in the Marne Valley, the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. A veritable mosaic of terroirs, the Maison Louis Roederer vineyard is divided into 410 plots, reflecting the great diversity of the Champagne region's soils.
The wine
The House's iconic cuvée, first created in 1876 for the Tsar of Russia, Cristal is made from 45 exceptional vineyards, spread over 7 Grands Crus of the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs.
The vintage
A harsh winter preceded a very mild spring. The strong sunshine was accompanied by a slight water stress. The alternation between heat and humidity in July favoured the rapid and unusual development of the grapes. The cooler conditions in August and the strong sunshine in September allowed the ripening to take place despite significant disease pressure. Cristal 2005 stands out from other vintages due to its utterly Chardonnay style, which combines elegance and thickness, vinosity and length.
Vinification and ageing
The vinification is carried out in oak for 20% of the wine, with weekly stirring of the lees. No malolactic fermentation. This exceptional cuvée benefits from an average of 5 years of ageing in the cellars and an 8-month settling period after disgorgement. The dosage is between 8 and 10 g/l depending on the vintage.
The blend
Cristal 2005 by Louis Roederer comprises a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay.
Cristal 2005 by Louis Roederer: Characteristics and tasting tips
The tasting
Colour
Its colour is golden, brilliant with slightly amber reflections and a regular and dynamic effervescence.
Nose
The bouquet is intense, both rich and elegant, with notes of white and yellow fruit, such as apple and peach, as well as citrus. When aerated, more typical aromas of white flowers and dried fruit appear with buttery and caramelised nuances, almost vanilla.
Palate
The attack of Cristal 2005 is ample, soft and vinous. The richness of the flavours is combined with a delicate effervescence that stretches the palate in a pure and slender way. Cristal 2005 by Louis Roederer is an exceptional champagne.
The 2005 Cristal stands out for its exceptional inner perfume and elegance. Soft, delicate and pretty, the 2005 is a relatively immediate Cristal with all of the signatures very much in the right place. The 2005 doesn't have the opulence of the 2002 nor the focus of the 2004, but it is a very pretty, if somewhat small-scaled version of this iconic Champagne. I would drink the 2005 while the 2002 and 2004 age. Although Cristal has an impeccable track record when it comes to aging, personally I would not push it with the 2005. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020.