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Bought directly from Louis Roederer's UK agent MMD, this is currently held in bond at London City Bond Eton Park, where it is cellared in ideal conditions and for same day deliveries small quantities are held in our London offices in a top of the range Eurocave
As the largest independent family-managed Champagne producer, Louis Roederer rank amongst the region's absolute finest. Established in 1776, the House is currently managed by seventh generation family member Frédéric Rouzaud alongside long-time Chef de Cave and Champagne legend Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. Today, Champagne Louis Roederer own an astounding 240 hectares of vineyards in the very best locations that cover two-thirds of their grape requirements and are pioneers in biodynamic farming, having converted a total of 50% of its holdings to accommodate production using biodynamic methods. Their portfolio begins with Brut Premier, one of Champagne's most seductive non-vintage cuvées and ends with Cristal, perhaps the world's most recognised prestige cuvée champagne.
In 1974, almost 200 years after the establishment of Champagne Louis Roederer and 100 years after the invention of Cristal, Jean-Claude Rouzaud decided to create a Cristal Rosé. To achieve this, he selected old-vine Pinot Noir grapes from the finest Grand Cru vineyards of Aÿ, which are now cultivated according to biodynamic principals. The unique calcareous soil, which gives the grapes an exquisite minerality, enables the vines to attain exceptional fruit maturity complemented by a crystalline acidity. The rosé is produced using the cold maceration technique for 2-4 days. As with Cristal, 20-30% of the wines are vinified in oak barrels and the final blend is matured on the lees for six years in cool dark cellars and rested for eight months after disgorgement. Produced only in the very best years, Cristal Rosé is Louis Roederer's rarest & finest champagne.
Weather: The 2002 vintage shaped up magnificently over the spring, with no significant frost and near-perfect flowering. Then followed a summer marked by long, sunny periods interspersed with regular cloudy and rainy spells. The vines were in good health and the dehydration of the grape berries helped them reach new heights of ripeness. Generally considered one of the best harvests in the last twenty years.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Pinot Noir: Aÿ, Cumières, Verzenay, Verzy | Chardonnay: Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
Grape Varieties: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Ageing: 7 years on the lees
Dosage: 9 g/l
Drink: Now to 2040+
Champagne in clear bottles must be stored in complete darkness, it spoils quickly if exposed to any light source. Cristal is supplied in yellow wrapping (not shown in photo) do not remove it and ideally place in a box. Read More
Tasting Note: Beautiful salmon pink with a rich bouquet of red fruit and citrus zest. This has a marvellous concentration of fruit, typical of 2002. The exceptional characteristics of this vintage have been captured here perfectly. Combine the rarity of Cristal Rosé and the extraordinary 2002 vintage and this is one unparalleled champagne: very highly acclaimed and increasingly hard to source.
Champagne Louis Roederer Overview
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As the largest independent family-managed Champagne producer, Louis Roederer rank amongst the region's absolute finest. Established in 1776, the House is currently managed by seventh generation family member Frédéric Rouzaud alongside long-time Chef de Cave and Champagne legend Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. Today, Champagne Louis Roederer own an astounding 240 hectares of vineyards in the very best locations that cover two-thirds of their grape requirements and are pioneers in biodynamic farming, having converted a total of 50% of its holdings to accommodate production using biodynamic methods. Their portfolio begins with Brut Premier, one of Champagne's most seductive non-vintage cuvées and ends with Cristal, perhaps the world's most recognised prestige cuvée champagne.
Top quality grapes are the cornerstone of Roederer's style and account for their characteristic purity and elegance. Their portfolio begins with Brut Premier, one of Champagne's most seductive non-vintage cuvées and ends with Cristal, perhaps the world's most recognised prestige cuvée champagne. Created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, the iconic Cristal is the essence of Roederer, matched only in decadence and luxury by its pink equivalent, Cristal Rosé.
“Pale peachy. Beautifully subdued, pure and elegant nose of ripe peach, gentle spiciness and minerality. Bright fruity, intense yet refined, lacey texture and the softest mousse. Perfectly long, vibrant and mouth-watering. Finesse meets power and precision. It has ages ahead of it. I don’t know if there is anything better you can put in your mouth. Deservedly the Supreme World Champion at the 2014 CSWWC and Best Champagne for 2014 by FINE Champagne magazine.”
98/100
Antonio Galloni
“The 2002 Cristal Rosé is one of the most overtly vinous wines in this lineup. Rich, powerful and voluptuous on the palate, the 2002 captures the exuberance of the year in spades. Hard candy, cinnamon, spices, mint and wild flowers wrap around the resonant, opulent finish. A head-turning beauty, the 2002 has really blossomed since I last tasted it a few years ago. It is also the showiest and most exotic wine in this vertical. I imagine the 2002 will reward readers with another 15-20 years of exceptional drinking, perhaps more. There isn't too much to say, except that this is one of the great wines of the vintage.”
96/100
Essi Avellan MW
“Pale peachy. Beautifully subdued, pure and elegant nose of ripe peach, gentle spiciness and minerality. Bright fruity, intense yet refined, lacey texture and the softest mousse. Perfectly long, vibrant and mouth-watering. Finesse meets power and precision. It has ages ahead of it. I don’t know if there is anything better you can put in your mouth. Deservedly the Supreme World Champion at the 2014 CSWWC and Best Champagne for 2014 by FINE Champagne magazine.”
19/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“'Supreme World Champion' and World Champion Deluxe Rosé. 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. This is already amazingly rich and long. Great density and breadth. I can see how this wine triumphed over all the other 650 entries in the first Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships. It just shows what an improvement there has been in recent years in the quality of pink champagne. This wine comes from six specific top-quality parcels that make some of the ripest wines, and it tastes like it. But there is nothing remotely fat about this. Very sophisticated indeed with a beautiful texture.”
100/100
Peter Liem
“Elegant and exquisitely detailed, the ’02 Cristal Rosé is the finest rosé Champagne currently on the market.”
100/100
Joshua Greene
“Levi Dalton at Convivio (NYC) compared this wine to the pianist who hits the right keys at the right moment. He's referring to the precision of the wine, which is astonishing. 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. As Peter Liem pointed out, "You could use any descriptor in the world and apply it to this wine. It is an Ur wine." The most exciting thing about it is the thought of what it will become.”
95+/100
Antonio Galloni
“The 2002 Brut Cristal Rose shows the classic Roederer introspectiveness that can sometimes make the wines hard to grasp when they are young. It, too, is a relatively lightly-colored rose. 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. It should be spectacular in time. Cristal Rose is made with the same technique as the rose, which is to say the Pinot is cold-macerated on the skins for 6-7 days, but the percentage of oak is a touch higher. For Cristal Rose the Pinot is sourced from Ay and the percentage of Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) is a touch higher than the Brut Rose at 40% of the blend. This is Lot L031784L100149, disgorged in April, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.”
93/100
Stephen Tanzer
“Medium pink with a light copper hue. Strawberry, cherry skin and blood orange on the nose, with notes of brown butter and dried flowers adding complexity. Lush and creamy but not heavy, offering open-knit red berry and sappy citrus flavors and a deeper, buttery quality on the back end. Hangs on with attractive spiciness, a hint of candied orange and impressive, gently sweet persistence. I'd err on the side of youth with this alluring Champagne and drink it over the coming decade rather than bury it in the cellar. ”
A memorable evening at Louis Roederer earlier this year saw us taste the new vintage releases from 2013, preview Cristal 2012 and Cristal Rosé 2012, and sample the upcoming magnum launches from the Cristal Vinothèque programme. This one's not to be missed!
A fascinating article detailing the often too difficult task of discerning information about a specific bottle of non-vintage champagne was recently published by Jancis Robinson MW on her website. She argues in favour of producers making information more available.
Earlier this year, we tasted a range of 2018 vins clairs with winemakers at fifteen different houses in Champagne. Thanks to exceptional weather throughout the year, some have been calling it 'the vintage of the century' and expectations are already sky-high. But just how much potential does 2018 have?
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon recently presented a fascinating masterclass at 67 Pall Mall entitled 'Fighting for Freshness', in which he explained the challenges facing winemakers as they battle to cope with riper grapes and higher alcohol levels in a warming climate.
Not many are as excited as Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon about 2018s potential, a year he describes as having "the density of 2002 and the precision of 2008." During our visit, we also tasted the latest Cristal Vinothèque's and a mind-blowing pair of Cristal magnums.
Last week's Louis Roederer Cristal Vertical Tasting compared every vintage of Cristal produced this century, from 2000-2009. Guests also tasted the two latest vintages of Cristal Rosé, and Cristal 2006 from both bottle and magnum. Read the full write-up here.
Legendary Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon took us on a remarkable tour of the 2017 vintage, sharing trials on organic and biodynamic farming. We also tasted a mesmerising range of champagnes, including Cristal Vinothèque 1995.
Our Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage Champagne tasting with Jancis Robinson MW at 67 Pall Mall on Wednesday evening was a roaring success. Read our review, see the results and browse the pictures.
Is there a better way to spend a Sunday evening than dinner with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon at the Louis Roederer family mansion? We tasted new Cristal 2008 and the exclusive late-release Cristal Vinothèque 1995.
Jancis Robinson MW, accompanied by The Finest Bubble journeyed to Champagne at the end of August to visit nine champagne houses. Read her in depth report.
Last week, the Gold and Silver medal results for the 2017 CSWWC were announced. We discuss the noteworthy winners and exciting future releases entered and highlight the best performing Houses and vintages.
In the first of our Vins Clairs 2016 articles, we recount our visit to Louis Roederer to taste the 2016 base wines. Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon had a lot to say about both the present and the future...
An experience worthy of sharing, very recently I journeyed to France with Louis Roederer to explore the magnificent vineyards and all things Louis Roederer. Find out more
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