Louis Roederer Cristal 2014 mit Geschenkverpackung

Weintyp: Schaumwein
Hersteller: Louis Roederer
Region: Frankreich, Champagne
Stil: fruchtig, sehr aromatisch.
Rebsorte: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Farbe: helles Gelb

Beschreibung: Der Louis Roederer Cristal wird nur in jenen „großen Jahren“ produziert, in denen der Chardonnay (ungefähr 40%) und der Pinot Noir (ungefähr 60%) ihre perfekte Reife erlangen. Anschließend lagert er 6 Jahre im Keller und ruht weitere 8 Monate nach dem Dégorgement. Der Louis Roederer Cristal besticht durch Ausgewogenheit – rein und mit von anderen Weinen unerreichtem langem Abgang. In der seidigen Textur verschmelzen verschiedene Fruchtaromen von ausgeprägter Mineralität, aus der Nuancen von weißen Früchten und Zitrusfrüchten aufsteigen. Ein lagerfähiger Wein, der mehr als zwanzig Jahre lagert, ohne von seiner Frische und seinem Charakter einzubüßen.

Besonderheiten: Der Louis Roederer Cristal wurde 1876 für die hohen Geschmacksansprüche des Zaren Alexander II. geschaffen. Dieser hatte eine besondere Vorliebe für die Weine von Louis Roederer und gab den Auftrag, ihm fortan jedes Jahr die beste Cuvée zu reservieren. Seine Einzigartigkeit betonend, wird dieser herausragende Champagner in eine Kristallflasche mit flachem Boden gefüllt. Er trägt fortan den Namen dieses edlen Glases, das seine Transparenz und sein Leuchten auf das Schönste zur Geltung bringt.

Wine Advocate: „The 2014 Cristal is a terrific effort that transcends the vintage. Bursting from the glass with expressive aromas of ripe citrus fruit, nectarine, white flowers, freshly baked bread and subtle hints of honeycomb, it's medium to full-bodied, vinous and fleshy, with an exuberant core of fruit that's girdled by racy acids, resulting in a wine that's simultaneously chiseled and demonstrative, meaning that early appeal doesn't come at the expense of the requisite tension for long-term cellaring. Concluding with a long, aromatic and intensely chalky finish, it is a brilliant Champagne that will offer a broad drinking window. This bottle was disgorged in June 2021 with seven grams per liter dosage.“

Antonio Galloni: „The 2014 Cristal is another in a long line of gorgeous wines from Roederer and long-time Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. A dazzling, vibrant Champagne, the 2014 impresses with a stunning combination of fruit density and linear energy that brings to mind a hypothetical blend of 2012 and 2008. At times, the bubbles feel totally wrapped up in waves of creamy, resonant fruit to the point the mousse is barely perceptible, especially with aeration. The flavors are bright and finely sculpted, leaning very much into the citrus, floral and mineral end of the spectrum.

The blend is a classic: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay taken from 39 of the 45 parcels that comprise the Cristal estate. In most vintages, the Pinot components are roughly equally split between Verzy/Verzenay and Aÿ, but in 2014, Lécaillon favored Verzy and Verzenay, two north facing villages in the Montagne de Reims (where rain was less problematic) known for conferring saline energy and vibrancy. Rain was much more of an issue in the Vallée de la Marne. Consequently, some of the Pinots in Aÿ were diluted and did not make it into the blend. Chardonnays were sourced from historic plots in Avize, Mesnil and Cramant. About 32% of the lots were fermented in wood, the rest were done in tank. As always, all of the malolactic fermentations were blocked. In 2014, the growing season was marked by a good spring followed by a cool, wet summer and then very favorable weather in September. I vividly recall that there was not much enthusiasm for the vintage at the outset. Today, though, opinions are starting to change, at least with regards to some wines.

Since 2012, Cristal has been made entirely from organically-farmed grapes, an approach Lécaillon adopted in order to achieve a more ideal and parallel relationship between sugar and phenolic ripeness. “Champagne is always a battle between picking too early and rot,” Lécaillon has often said during our tastings. One of the other benefits of organic farming is that it naturally lowers yields. As Champagne fans know, the great wines of the 1950s and 1960s were made at a time when yields were in the 5,000 kilo per hectare range. Then, in the 1980s, widespread planting of higher-yielding clones led to an entirely different situation in the vineyard. Today’s permitted yields are 11,000 kilos per hectare, with some variation in years that present unusual growing conditions. With organic farming, yields for Cristal are in the 7,000-9,000 kilo per hectare range. Another innovation at Roederer has been a focus on higher-density plantings with newer vineyards, an approach that encourages low production per vine. But back to the wine.

The 2014 Cristal is a riveting Champagne. Don’t miss it.“

Falstaff Magazin: „Zum Anfang ein deutlicher Hauch von frischem grünem, aber reifem Apfel, von Zitrone. Subtiler floraler Duft, vielleicht Freesie, deutet auf weitere Nuance. Zeit im Glas enthüllt einen Hauch salziger Austernschale. Der Gaumen ist wie eine Sommerbrise, die den Gaumen mit feinstem, cremigstem Schaum umschmeichelt – und wieder diese Salzigkeit, absolut verführerisch und appetitanregend. Die cremige, aber definierte Textur weist immense vertikale Fülle auf. Trotz der Großzügigkeit, der Cremigkeit, gibt es nichts Überflüssiges, das die wesentliche und klare Leuchtkraft des Weins verdeckt. Der Wein ist ein Modell der Schnittigkeit, Understatement und Tiefe, eine äußerst überzeugende Kombination aus Lebendigkeit und Geschmeidigkeit. Jetzt schon unwiderstehlich, aber Evolution ist garantiert. A.K.“

Decanter: „The rollercoaster growing season of 2014 is reflected to perfection by the innate tension here; ripe citric fruit and even a touch of exoticism (mango and fig) tempered by a fine shard of acidity and a lifted ethereal character, described paradoxically by chef de caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon as ‘weightless density’. Purity, energy and power make for very happy bedfellows, courtesy the chalky terroir and its organic husbandry. The texture is silky, the bubbles joyfully integrated and the finish resourceful and precise, its salinity deferential to the deep-digging roots. Disgorged: June 2021. Dosage: 7g/L.“

James Suckling: „An enlightened expression from a season of extremes, this has intensity, ripeness and depth of fruit that is underpinned by chalk soil-derived structure and freshness. Complex nose with lemon and grapefruit aromas, as well as closed red apple, blood orange, light biscuit spices and toasted hazelnuts. Super fresh. The palate starts pithy and fleshy with pink grapefruit, blood orange, red apple, sliced strawberry and nectarine. Expansive and mouth-filling build that is driven by concentrated fruit, Then it tightens and turns to a more mineral edge, before smoothly honed phenolics finish it long. It is 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, 32% oak fermentation in those same proportions, no chaptalization, no malolactic and a dosage of 7g per liter. From organically farmed grapes. Very complex, it strikes a natural balance and is very drinkable already, though will develop well for more than a decade in the cellar.“

Trinktemperatur: 5-7°
Lagerpotential: bis 2050+

Auszeichnungen:
Falstaff Magazin: 99/100 Punkte für 2014
Antonio Galloni: 98/100 Punkte für 2014
Robert Parker: 96/100 Punkte für 2014
Decanter: 95/100 Punkte für 2014
James Suckling: 97/100 Punkte für 2014
Robert Parker: 98/100 Punkte für 2013
James Suckling: 98/100 Punkte für 2013
Antonio Galloni: 97+/100 Punkte für 2013
Falstaff Magazin: 99/100 Punkte für 2013
Decanter: 96/100 Punkte für 2013
Wine Spectator: 96/100 Punkte für 2013
James Suckling: 98/100 Punkte für 2012
Antonio Galloni: 98/100 Punkte für 2012
James Suckling: 100/100 Punkte für 2008
Wine Enthusiast: 100/100 Punkte für 2008
Falstaff Magazin: 100/100 Punkte für 2008
Antonio Galloni: 99/100 Punkte für 2008
Decanter: 98/100 Punkte für 2008
Robert Parker: 97+/100 Punkte für 2008
Wine Spectator: 97/100 Punkte für 2008