Louis Roederer : Cristal Vinothèque 1995

The balance and harmony of a unique champagne by Louis Roederer

The property

Founded in 1776 in Reims, Louis Roederer is a Champagne House that has managed to remain family-owned and independent. After more than 200 years of existence, the Louis Roederer House is still owned by the same family. Now led by Frédéric Rouzaud, who represents the seventh generation of the family's lineage, Louis Roederer boasts and embodies the excellence of Champagne around the world, through cuvées crafted like works of art.

The vineyard

With nearly 241 hectares of vines, the Louis Roederer House derives its strength from its extraordinary vineyard, made up solely of Grands and Premiers Crus in the Marne Valley, the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. A veritable mosaic of terroirs, the Maison Louis Roederer vineyard is divided into 410 plots, reflecting the great diversity of the Champagne region's soils.

The wine

In order to prolong the search for the perfect balance, Louis Roederer keeps a limited amount of exceptional bottles in its cellars for 20 years. Benefiting from an exceptional ageing process, Louis Roederer's Cristal Vinothèque cuvées develop an aromatic complexity as well as an exceptional maturity from one year to the next and enjoy the silence and obscurity of the House's cellars.

Vinification and ageing

The vinification is carried out in oak (7%). Malolactic fermentation (10%). The cuvée has been aged for 10 years in bottle and settles for 10 years after disgorgement. The dosage is 8 g/litre.

The blend

Cristal Vinothèque 1995 by Louis Roederer comprises a blend of Pinot Noir (57%) and Chardonnay (43%).

Cristal Vinothèque 1995 by Louis Roederer: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Colour

The colour is a beautiful golden colour, with subtle amber and brilliant reflections. The effervescence is delicate and regular.

Nose

Complex and aromatic, the nose blends juicy ripe fruit fragrances, almost exotic (mango) with gourmet notes (cocoa bean, white chocolate) and smoke. When aerated, the bouquet gains in complexity, exuding suave malt and black truffle scents conferred by the few more years’ of ageing on the lees of secondary fermentation.

Palate

Velvety and precise, the palate is seduced by this wine’s delicacy, its silky feel, its aerial and refined expression. Throughout the tasting experience, the palate blends a beautiful concentration, chalky notes from the limestone soils and great elegance with a rare and flavoursome freshness and length on the palate.