A harmonious Champagne wine with a beautiful purity
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
The particularly cold and dry winter gave way to very mild conditions, marked by a lot of sunshine and very little rainfall in August and September. The vineyard is remarkably healthy. Harvested at full maturity, the grapes give rise to a dense, fruity and flavoursome champagne which harmoniously blends a sun-drenched expression with an exceptional purity.
Vinification and ageing
The vinification, of which 16% is carried out in oak, is accompanied by weekly stirring of the lees. No malolactic fermentation. This exceptional cuvée benefits from an average of 6 years of ageing in the cellars and an 8-month settling period after disgorgement. The dosage is 8 g/litre.
The blend
Cristal 2009 by Louis Roederer comprises a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.
Cristal 2009 by Louis Roederer: Characteristics and tasting tips
The tasting
Colour
The colour is a beautiful golden yellow, with matte and amber highlights. The effervescence is lengthy, lively and delicate.
Nose
Subtle and concentrated, the nose reveals notes of citrus compote, candied apricots and honeysuckle. When aerated, the bouquet gains in complexity through delicious fragrances of cocoa beans, roasted hazelnuts and subtle hints of liquorice and cinnamon.
Palate
Delicate and lively, the palate is seduced by this champagne’s dense and ripe flavours, its silky feel and its refreshing minerality.
The 2009 Cristal is a blend of Grands Crus from the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs (a total of 33-34 parcels of which 40% were farmed biodynamically). Like the 2008 Cristal, the 2009 also blends 60% Pinot Noir with 40% Chardonnay, and 16% of the wine was vinified in oak casks. No malolactic fermentation was done. The 2009 was aged for six years in the cellars and was disgorged in March 2016 with a dosage of eight grams per liter. Released two years ago, the 2009 is just starting another, more Burgundian life. Tasted in May 2018, the bouquet was pretty reductive, with flinty and toasty/nutty notes and some potted ginger flavors. Full-bodied, round and rich on the palate, this is a stunningly pure, fresh and salty 2009 that is driven by its chalky terroir and the lingering salinity. Is it really 2009? It is ripe, yes, but driven by the strength of chalk. The finish is pure, clean, fresh, very complex and long yet delicate and endlessly salty. However, two years after disgorgement, the 2009 Cristal is closing down and in a pretty reductive stage right now. Tasted May 2018.