Louis Roederer Cristal Rose 2013

In 1974, almost 200 years after the establishment of the Champagne House of Louis Roederer and 100 years after the creation of Cristal, Jean-Claude Rouzaud decided to create the Cristal Rosé cuvée. To achieve this, he selected old-vine Pinot noir grapes (using massale selection, which involves propagation from the vineyard’s most successful plants) from the finest grand cru vineyards of Aÿ.

The limestone bedrock and unique calcareous clay soil enable the vines (in the best years) to attain exceptional fruit maturity, complemented by a pure and crystalline acidity that is a perfect evocation of the Cristal style. Today, the vineyards are cultivated according to biodynamic principles.

Over the years, Louis Roederer has developed a unique method for the production of its rosé champagnes. This process, referred to by Roederer as the “infusion” technique, allows the winemaking team to extract the juicy, ripe character of the pinot noirs whilst preserving their exceptional freshness. A small amount of chardonnay juice is added to the pinot noir maceration which then ferment together and integrate harmoniously.
Cristal Rosé 2013 is composed of grapes sourced from Aÿ, Avize, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. 20% of the wines are vinified in oak. No malolactic fermentation. The dosage is 7 g/L.

Tasting Notes:

Light, delicate soft pink hue. Bright, vibrant, ultra-fine bubbles. Refined bouquet of freshly-picked tart red fruit (wild strawberry, raspberry) and lemon scented flower petals. The pure, precise fragrances delicately intertwine and are gradually joined by overtones of fresh almonds, bread and spices (cocoa bean). These nuanced, intricately interwoven fragrances are ethereal and transcendent. Intense, velvety and captivating on the palate. What else would you expect after such perfume? The juicy, concentrated red fruit gradually pulls towards a raspberry liqueur character complemented by invigorating, sweet citrus aromas. The harmony and delicacy of the wine is reinforced by the creamy bubbles which create a sensation of roundness and concentration. The mineral freshness lengthens the palate; it becomes vertical, chalky, saline and sapid with a sensation of perpetual acceleration created by the pure, bright limestone.

Cristal Rosé 2013 is as pure as nectar, a distillation of delicate perfumes with dense, concentrated aromas. Could it be perfection?