Louis Roederer - Cristal Champagne 2016 (Pre-arrival) (750ml)
Price: $336.00
| Producer | Louis Roederer |
| Country | France |
| Region | Champagne |
| Varietal | Champagne Blend |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Sku | 9223 |
| Size | 750ml |
The Wine Independent: 98+ Points
The 2016 Cristal is a blend of 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay with 7 grams per liter of dosage. No malo-lactic was performed here and 31% of the base wines were aged in French oak. The nose begins with bright red berry notes of fresh raspberries and strawberries before opening out to a complex undercurrent of saffron white chocolate talc baker?s yeast and emerging wafts of citron blossom and pear tart. The palate is very dry and spicy not needing even a touch more sweetness thanks to the abundance of ripe berry and citrus flavors delivering beautifully knit acidity and typically tiny persistent bubbles. It finishes with notes of effervescent chalkiness and saffron flowers leaving you reaching for another sip. Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2024-07-31 Source: Louis Roederer New Releases and 2016 Cristal
twiWine Advocate: 97 Points
The 2016 Cristal is a taut incisive rendition of this benchmark bottling unwinding in the glass with youthfully reserved aromas of citrus oil white flowers wet stones and subtle hints of sweet buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied chiseled and racy it's almost as electric as the brilliant 2013 with serious concentration a pure core of fruit chalky structuring dry extract and a long intensely mineral finish. Given its tightly wound profile my advice is to forget it in the cellar for a few years and work on the more open outgoing 2014 in the meantime. Jean-Baptise Lecaillon described 2016 as a complicated season much like 2021 and 2024 (so far). Heavy pressure from downy mildew in spring and powdery mildew in summer made for low yields and caught some growers unawares perhaps explaining why this vintage is a notable omission from a number of houses' portfolios. An August heat wave made for ripe Pinot Noir with thick skins contributing density and extract; and so to temper that Lecaillon and his team included a touch more Chardonnay than usual fully 42% versus a more habitual 40%. That Chardonnay somewhat reductive in profile amplifies the 2016 Cristal's taut chiseled profile. Only 32 of the 45 parcels that are candidates for inclusion in Cristal's blend made the final cut; but neither the Montagne de Reims nor the Vallée de la Marne predominate as both had their contribution to make. The result is a classic in the best sense of the term and one that will offer a long and broad drinking window. Published: Aug 15 2024
