In the glass
Aroma: candied lemon, white flowers, roasted hazelnut, Madagascar vanilla, fresh pastry
Palate: concentrated chalk, honed citrus, tension, aromatic precision
The original prestige cuvee, created for a tsar: zesty candied lemon and pollen over roasted hazelnut and vanilla, with incredible tension and a chalky, honed precision.
What it pairs with
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Langoustines
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Racy chalk and citrus precision flatter sweet shellfish. -
Turbot
Honed minerality and concentration frame fine white fish. -
Caviar
Saline tension and chalk meet the salt and richness of caviar.
How to serve Louis Roederer Cristal
Allow 5 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and pour. Open and pour directly. No decanting required for this style.
- Serve at 6-8°C. Cellar temperature (6-8°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a tulip flute. A tulip shape rewards the bouquet better than a narrow flute and frames the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Langoustines, Turbot, Caviar. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II in a clear lead-crystal bottle, Cristal is made only from estate vineyards, much of them now farmed biodynamically, and only in vintages judged worthy.
- 1876 — First Cristal created for Tsar Alexander II of Russia
- 2018 — House confirms Cristal sourced entirely from estate, largely biodynamic vineyards
Facts
- Producer
- Louis Roederer
- Grapes
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
- Classification
- AOC Champagne
- Oak
- Largely no malolactic; partial oak; estate, partly biodynamic fruit
- ABV
- 12.0%
- Price
- EUR 250 to 380 at retail
- Drinking window
- 8 to 30 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1876
Scores
- Decanter 97 (2013 vintage, reviewed 2022)
Frequently asked about Louis Roederer Cristal
What does Louis Roederer Cristal taste like?
On the nose, candied lemon, white flowers, roasted hazelnut, Madagascar vanilla, fresh pastry. On the palate, concentrated chalk, honed citrus, tension, aromatic precision. Structurally full-bodied, racy acidity with a long finish. The original prestige cuvee, created for a tsar: zesty candied lemon and pollen over roasted hazelnut and vanilla, with incredible tension and a chalky, honed precision.
When should I drink Louis Roederer Cristal?
Drink 8 to 30 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Louis Roederer Cristal?
Langoustines is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Turbot and Caviar. Racy chalk and citrus precision flatter sweet shellfish.
What grapes are in Louis Roederer Cristal?
The blend is Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. The wine is classified as AOC Champagne.