Louis Roederer 2014 Cristal Trophy Champagne Review

The house was founded in 1776 by Etienne Dubois and sold in 1819 to Nicolas Schreider, an uncle of Louis Roederer. Louis Roederer inherited the house when Schreider died in 1833 and it has stayed within the family ever since. It is now managed by Frederic Rouzaud.

Cristal was created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II. The Russian emperor asked Louis Roederer to reserve the House’s best cuvée for him every year. He wanted it in flat-bottomed, transparent lead-crystal bottle (Flemish glassmaker created clear lead glass) as he was concerned about assassination attempts. At that time 1/3 of Louis Roderer production shipped to Russia

The blend of the champagne is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Cristal is aged for 6 years in Louis Roederer’s cellars and left for a further 8 months after dégorgement. 32% aged in oak. The dosage is around 7 g/L.

I talk a lot about an interview that Frederic gave to the Economist Magazine in 2006. When asked about Cristal's association with hip-hop, Rouzaud responded that he viewed it with "curiosity and serenity." He went on to say, "What can we do? We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Pérignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business."

Frederic attributes Roederer’s success partly because of its unique ‘plot-by-plot vinification’. The family’s 240 hectares of vineyard are divided into 410 plots and each does its own pressing from harvest, to ensure quality and give every wine its separate character — no other champagne brand does this.

For more information about the winery, please see their website at https://www.louis-roederer.com/en/pre...