Vintage 2014 in Champagne offered a real waltz in 3 measures in terms of weather: A very dry spring, which ended with an extreme heat wave. A cool and very rainy summer and a sunny, warm and dry September. Not immediately the recipe for a great vintage, but when the result was an excellent Cristal, it is primarily due to two factors. Partly the special porous subsoil of chalk, in the middle and in the lower part of the slopes, which could absorb the summer rains and prevent an excessively violent growth of the vines. Partly the skill and experience that Roederer's team in the vineyards had to mobilize in order to achieve the perfect balance and complexity in the grapes.
Cristal 2014 is made from Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%) from Louis Roederer's best biodynamic (Demeter) Grands Cru fields in Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Ay, Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant , equally divided between Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. For 2014, approx. 32% of the wine fermented in wooden barrels - and without subsequent malolactic fermentation. The wine is then champagned in the bottle (2nd fermentation) for 6 years and 7 g of dosage liqueur per litres. After disgorging, the wine is stored for another 8 months at Roederer before release.
Cristal from Champagne Louis Roederer is particularly famous for its refined, delicate and complex style, and the 2014 is a perfect expression of this delicate harmony. The extremely long second fermentation in the bottle has, as usual, produced fine, persistent, small bubbles. In the fragrance you find complex, acidic nuances of lime and orange peel, but also more exotic notes of pickled fruits such as apricots and orange, with delicious, slightly smoky nuances of roasted almonds. As always for Cristal, the taste is both crisp and rounded, with a fantastic nerve and precision. 2014 is fantastically elegant, velvety and charming. Try it with caviar, fish, lobster or just by itself. For the big moments.
Grapes: 40% Chardonnay 60% Pinot Noir
Aging: 2nd fermentation in bottle: 6 years in bottle.