Cristal 2014: ‘ A riveting Champagne’ (AG)

Cristal 2014 additional stocks have just arrived with us ahead of the next vintage due for release later this year.

2014 is an outstanding vintage of Louis Roederer’s prestige cuvee, and one that is stylistically distinctive. Following on from the concentrated 2012 and the powerful 2013, the 2014 Cristal is tense, energetic and highly aromatic. The critics have been unanimous in their praise: Antonio Galloni calls it a ‘riveting wine’, Jancis Robinson notes that it ‘clearly has a great future ahead of it’ and William Kelley says that it is ‘a terrific effort that transcends the vintage’.   

2014 Cristal is the product of a year of ‘extremes’, as Roederer Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon puts it. Initially seen by some as a challenging year, the best 2014s are proving to be excellent. Louis Roederer harvested late to allow the grapes to benefit from a warm dry autumn, and selection was strict to ensure optimum ripeness.

2014 Cristal is made of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The fruit comes exclusively from Roederer’s own vineyards, organically farmed since 2012 to give lower yields and greater concentration. One third of the base wine was fermented in oak, giving roundness and structure. As always at Roederer, malolactic fermentation was blocked to preserve freshness. Dosage for the 2014 is moderate at 7g/l.

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