LouisRoedererCristal2013Magnum

As the largest independent family-managed Champagne producer, Louis Roederer rank amongst the region’s absolute finest. Established in 1776, the House today is managed by seventh generation family member Frédéric Rouzaud alongside long-time Chef de Cave and Champagne legend Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. They own an astounding 242 hectares of vineyards many in chalk rich Grand Cru villages covering two-thirds of their grape requirements. Roederer have become pioneers in biodynamic farming & by 2012 all 78 hectares the “Cristal Estatesâ€?are farmed using biodynamic methods. By 2021 Roederer have 115 hectares certified organic. All the grapes in Cristal & other vintage cuvee’s come from their own vineyards. The estate is made up of 410 plots which are fermented separately in one of the 450 stainless steel tanks in their Reims cellars. In 2020 Roederer replaced Brut Premier with “Collectionâ€?allowing each years non-vintage blend to be identified and “re-engineeringâ€?the non-vintage cuvee to maintain freshness in the light of global warming on the Champagne region. Today Cristal is, widely recognised as the world’s most awarded prestige cuvée champagne.rrIn 1876, Russia’s Tsar Alexander II, a long-time lover of Louis Roederer wines, asked the producer to create a special cuvée for his personal use which was unique in both its style and bottle design. Dissatisfied with standard champagne bottles that concealed the beautiful colour and effervescence from the eye, he requested that his personal cuvée be served in transparent crystal glass bottles, easier to spot poison andwith a flat bottom to foil the insertion of explosives by would-be assassins. Thus, Louis Roederer selected the best vines from seven Grand Crus on his estate and Cristal, the first prestige cuvée, was born. Today some 45 plots make up the “Cristal Estatesâ€?and each vintage can sometimes be made up of all plots or as is normal often a few plots don’t make the final blend.rr2013 is the second vintage of Cristal to be created from 100% bio-dynamically farmed grapes.rrWeather: 2013 was characterised by a particularly late growing cycle. The never-ending winter was followed by a very cool, late spring. we had to wait until the start of July for flowering to begin â€?something we hadn’t seen in Champagne for quite some time! Fortunately, summer was glorious with plenty of sunshine, record temperatures and very low rainfall, ideal for the ripening of the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. the temperatures were cool for the October harvest and the resulting wines are elegant and fresh â€?the signs of a “classicâ€?vintage.rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Vallée de la Marne, Montagne de Reims & Côte des Blancs (Detailed map)rGrape Varieties: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% ChardonnayrOak Vinified: 32%rLees Ageing: 6.5 yearsrDisgorged: September 2020rDosage: 8 g/lrDrink: Now to 2035+rrChampagne in clear bottles must be stored in complete darkness, it spoils quickly if exposed to any light source. Cristal is supplied in yellow wrapping (not shown in photo) do not remove it and ideally place in a box.Read MorerrTasting Note: A golden hue with soft, glowing highlights. Fine, steady, gentle bubbles. Powerful and complex on the palate, revealing a mixture of yellow fruit, juicy, ripe fruits, citrus peel and finely roasted nuts. On the nose, powdery and sweet, with elegant, chalky notes. Fine, textured tannins reveal a poised and vinous dimension to the wine. The finish is savoury and saline.