A luminous and structured Champagne, Cristal 2015 balances the ripe richness of the vintage with its trademark finesse. Notes of citrus blossom, chalk, stone fruit, and delicate pastry unravel in the glass, supported by a fine, energetic mousse. Still youthful and tightly knit, this is a poised and vinous wine destined to evolve beautifully over time. Best decanted now or cellared for deeper complexity.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 97
Published: Jul 21, 2023

For the warm and dry vintage this has tremendous freshness and elegance. The complex nose of citrus blossom, mint, lemon and lime zest opens up slowly as this aerates in the glass. The wine’s ample structure is still quite firm, which is a vintage characteristic, the mousse very fine but also very lively for an eight-year-old champagne. Cristal fans will love this as it is, but a year or two more in the bottle will do a lot for the very long mineral finish of this youthful masterpiece. A cuvee of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, picked from all 45 Cristal vineyard plots. Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink from release.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95+
Published: Apr 20, 2023
Drink: 2027-2050

If the 2014 vintage was especially open and demonstrative, the 2015 Cristal is going to require more patience. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, crisp stone fruits, white flowers, crushed mint and subtle hints of buttery pastry, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a deep, concentrated and rather introverted core of fruit framed by chalky extract and animated by a pretty pinpoint mousse. This is a serious, vinous Champagne that has considerable substance to age and may well evolve along the lines of the lovely 1985.

Decanter | D 95
Published: Apr 17, 2023
Drink: 2023-2035

An open and inviting nose references cream, oatmeal and Amalfi lemon with the slightest edge of smoke. The palate immediately strikes with a mouthwatering lemon ripeness and a juicy, mouthfilling generosity reminiscent of yellow plum. It stays true to the trademark sleekness of Cristal and speaks of the concentration of 2015. Fine mousse accentuates the fullness and roundness of the wine while the long finish hints at chalky depth which, for now, is dominated by ripe stone fruit and more of that textured, rich notion of oatmeal. Definitely a Cristal to enjoy soon.
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 12.00%
Body: Medium
Grapes: 40% Chardonnay 60% Pinot Noir / Pinot Nero

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 17.5++
Published: Nov 24, 2023
Drink: 2025-2040

Launched in April 2023.
Creamy and welcoming on the nose. Flattering texture and lots packed in there. As usual, such a baby at this early stage! Some smokiness and a lot of dry savour. Tight-knit and introvert. Wait! Such a shame it has to be released so early 

Louis-roederer.com

"Cristal is a wine of evolution, a wine that continues to reveal itself to us, slowly and gradually as it ages, unveiling a very different side to itself and the true extent of its unqiue personality."
— Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO

A timeless estate
A perfect reflection of its terroir, Cristal hails from vineyard plots that have been slowly built up since 1845 and sustainably worked as part of a bespoke viticultural approach. The practices include massal selection, gentle pruning, the use of biodynamic composts and allowing the land to lie fallow for long periods. Louis Roederer also uses methods inspired by the principles of permaculture, in which the ecosystem adjusts its balance and creates a close bond between Man and Nature.

A wine of the soil
The Cristal identity is unique, original and truly unlike any other in the history of the fine wines from the Champagne region. It is a wine of the soil, a wine of depth, a wine of the land yet turned to the light, reaching for the sky that il almost seems to touch.

Every new vintage reveals the unmistakable Cristal character although through a very different prism each time. A kaleidoscope of flavours and textures, a palette of nuances that is constantly evolving and renewing itself much to the delight of the wine lover who will be surprised yet delighted to discover Cristal in yet another new light.

Concentration - The hallmark of a spectacular vintage
Perfectly in keeping with the continental trend of the decade, the 2015 vintage thus created wines that were ripe, well-structured and crowned by a bold freshness guided by its white soils. Brought our by Roederer's gentle and virtuous winegrowing practices, the purity of the chalk shines through and we are offered a perfect symbiosis of maturity and freshness.

"The quest is for excellence, purity and balance, to create a wine that vibrates in tune with its terroir and mirrors its qualities."
— Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master