Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2006

Profile & Story

Cristal is Louis Roederer's flagship champagne, drawn from 45 plots of Grand Cru vineyards across the Vallee de la Marne, the Cote des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims - a total of 80 hectares carefully built up by the Roederer family since 1841 and farmed in a bespoke manner with respect for the living environment. It was created in 1876 at the special request of Tsar Alexander II, a great lover of the wines of Champagne, and it is said the monarch had it made for his muse. Everything about it was bespoke: a transparent, flat-bottomed bottle, said to have been chosen to thwart any assassination attempt on the Russian sovereign, and a prodigious ageing. Six to ten years of ageing in bottle, riddling exclusively by hand and a long rest after disgorgement all play their part; Cristal is produced only in years of perfect maturity.

Pairing Recommendation

Cellar Master Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon calls it a champagne for haute gastronomie, perfect for the most refined and original food pairings, and suggests trying it with sweetbreads, Bresse poultry or scallops.