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Louis Roederer Cristal 2004
Region
Champagne, France
Introduction
Champagne Louis Roederer owns 216 hectares of vineyards located in the finest areas of champagne – the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs. Each vineyard is situated in the finest sites, with the plots ranking between 95-100% on the Échelle des Crus. This makes Roederer self sufficient for 100% of its vintage styles. This ensures superior quality at all stages from grape to glass.
Grapes
55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay
Harvest Report
2004 was a classic, generous year, bringing both quantity and quality. 2004 followed almost to the letter the same climatic trend as the exceptional 2002 vintage with cool, moderate temperatures throughout the growing season. Rainfall was lower than average, by about 30%, and despite a cold and wet August, September was dry and sunny leading to an impressive ripening of the grapes. By 20th September the grapes had attained a ‘vintage’ balance in the Louis Roederer vineyards combining both physiological maturity and great freshness.
Viticulture
Cristal is produced from the finest plots of Louis Roederer’s vineyards in the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs including Ay, Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger.
Wine Making
20% of the wines are matured in large oak casks which undergo weekly batonnage. There is no malolactic fermentation. The wine spends an average of 5 years ageing in the cellars then rests for a further 8 months post disgorgement. The dosage is about 9 g/l.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Brilliant clarity with delicate pale gold nuances, combined with an ultra-fine, persistent, soft effervescence.
Nose: The immediate aroma is highly expressive of the elegance and precision of Chardonnay; white fruit, sweet pollen, fine citrus fruit and very pure minerality. After a few minutes the aromas develop to more confit, lightly grilled notes, almost becoming generous yet remaining precise and impeccably refined.
Palate: The impression on the palate is full and creamy, revealing a fine concentration of stone fruits; nectarine, fresh apricot and peach. This silky, textured concentration, which is both dense and soft – and typical of great Pinot Noirs – is intervowen with a sophisticated touch of acidity, bringing the wine alive with minerality. The overriding impression is one of a true harmony of flavours, senses and silky textures...absolute sensuality.
Food Matching
With such substance Cristal is a hugely versatile champagne matching well with lobster and crayfish, mushrooms and even duck.
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