2005 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne (Elsewhere $200+)
SKU #1076523
97
points
Wine Enthusiast
*Cellar Selection* The iconic Roederer Champagne, Cristal's latest release, brings a perfect balance of richness and age worthiness. It is full of apple flavor, and the mousse is very fine and almost imperceptible. As so often with a beautifully blended wine like this, a few minutes breathing brings out extra complex flavors. It certainly should age over five years and more.
(12/ 2012)
94
points
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Bright yellow-gold. Heady floral-accented citrus and orchard fruits on the nose, with smoky mineral and floral overtones adding complexity. Velvety and chewy in texture, offering deep, juicy orange and poached pear flavors and suave honey and chamomile nuances. Blends precision with power, finishing with a distinct mineral quality and excellent persistence.
(11/ 2012)
94
points
Wine Spectator
Vibrant and mouthwatering, this offers a range of patisserie pear and apple fruit, candied lemon zest, pastry dough and marzipan notes set on a finely detailed texture, which imparts a great deal of finesse. The lasting finish echoes a smoky mineral note. Drink now through 2025.
(11/ 2012)
Jancis Robinson
Rich, indulgent, baked character on the nose. Long, toasty palate. Certain minty freshness. Understated as yet.
(6/ 2012)
K&L Notes
The Champagne of Kings! Or Tsars, to be more exact. Champagne Louis Roederer's "Cristal" was created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II as the first "Prestige Cuvee" and it remains as such to this day. These are the best grapes from the best sites in the best vintages. The Champagne, a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, spends an average of five years sur lie, and is notbale for its richness. Toasty, with notes of cherries, lemons and tangerines on the nose that carry over to a palate full of fleshy stone fruits. Incredibly powerful, this is a bottle to cellar.
