98 Point Cristal Sale! 24 Hours Only!

$394.95$324.95

Every new vintage of Cristal is an eagerly anticipated event that reveals the unmistakable Cristal character through a very different prism, a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures defined by the growing year. Initially regarded as a vintage without much enthusiasm, the 2014 Cristal has revealed itself to be a stunning Champagne that hit big with critics.A classic blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay taken from Grand Cru vineyards in the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Cote des Blancs. 32% of the wine was fermented in oak, no chaptalization, no malolactic and a dosage of 7g per liter. Disgorged in June 2021. From the 2012 vintage onward, Cristal has been made entirely from organically-farmed grapes. This was spearheaded by long-time Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lcaillon which he adopted in order to achieve a more ideal and parallel relationship between sugar and phenolic ripeness.

The 2014 vintage was a "weather waltz", one with clear, sharp contrasts. A sunny and dry spring gave way to a heatwave in June. Then summer turned autumnal, with cool and rainy conditions, only to find September turning hot, sunny and very dry weather normally associated with the month of August. The key to the vintages success lay in the soils as well as in the work carried out by the winegrowers. The good drainage properties of the chalk soils on the lower-middle part of the hillside helped alleviate excess water from the summer to drain away which limited any excess vigor in the vines. These factors were complemented by Louis Roederers increasingly eco-friendly viticultural practices.

First created in 1876 at the behest of Tsar Alexander II as his personal Champagne, Cristal is viewed by many as the worlds first prestige cuvee. It is the flagship Champagne of Maison Louis Roederer and is composed from Grand Cru vineyards from the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Cote des Blancs. Cristal sets itself apart from other prestige Champagnes with its clear bottle, flat bottom and cellophane wrapping. The origin of Cristals clear bottle and flat bottom stems from Tsar Alexander IIs request that Champagne bottles for his Three Emperors Dinner be made clear, so that he could see the beautiful golden hue and dancing bubbles, but also to prevent an explosive being hidden in the punt. Cristals gold wrapping has historic roots. In the 19th century, a system of color-coding was used to signify a Champagnes quality. Unsurprisingly, gold was used to denote the highest prestige. The shiny cellophane is actually anti-UV, which protects the clear-bottled wine from damaging sun rays.

Sale Ends Wednesday

November 16, 2022

11:59PM ET

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