Louis Roederer Cristal Rose 2002 75 cl

Cristal Rosé is the rarest champagne produced by Champagne Louis Roederer. When it does occur, it is produced with regimented standards of winemaking that require a rigorous selection of crus, vintages, grapes and wine. The traditional skin maceration is used in order to gently extract the natural pigments for the unique color and create the particular style of this rosé. The cuvée Cristal Rosé is produced exclusively from the best grapes of Louis Roederer’s own “Premier Cru” vineyards, primarily those of Aÿ, Verzenay, Verzy and Cumières for the Pinot Noir, and Le Mesnil sur Oger and Avize for the Chardonnay.

Winemaking
To make its rosé champagnes, Louis Roederer uses the cold “skin-contact” maceration technique, a traditional method in which the must is left to macerate for several days in the press to extract the natural pigments.  To obtain the unique colour and style of this particular rosé, Louis Roederer uses Pinot Noir from the village of Aÿ which yield extremely ripe grapes of outstanding aromatic concentration, and Chardonnay from Le Mesnil sur Oger and Avize.
Cristal Rosé requires an average maturation period of 5 years on the lees.  Like all Louis Roederer champagnes, after being disgorged, it is left for another six months to allow for perfect blending.

Harvests
This was a characteristically dry, warm year with outbreaks of heavy rain. August was a month of extremes, with rain followed by scorching temperatures then violent thundery intervals.  An anticyclone at the start of September gave way to rain towards 8 September followed by fine weather that lasted throughout the harvest with the exception of light drizzle.  The vintage was marked by the outstanding quality of the grapes, registering a degree of alcohol content rarely achieved in Champagne.
Highlights: an early-maturing year brought about by dry soil conditions that accelerated ripening;  work in the vineyards to improve the quality of the yield: targeted manuring at the start of the season; pruning to restrict yields; crown suckering of fruit-bearing shoots to remove excess clusters; green harvesting over a total 20 ha area;  sunny conditions throughout the month of September.

These conditions allowed us to start harvesting on 12 September in the Côte des Blancs, September 13 in the Vallée de la Marne, and 16 September in the Montagne de Reims.

Harvesting in each vineyard sector lasted 13 days and pickers were in excellent spirits. From the beginning of the harvest, grapes registered 11-12.2º alcohol with a consistent acidity level of 7g/l. Average yield of 12.280 kg/ha, overall productivity targets. The quality of the grapes was remarkable throughout the vineyard.

1 in stock

1,200.00

SKU: 096 Category: Tag: Product ID: 1876

Description

To the eye, glittering salmon pink tones and a lively stream of delicate bubbles give this Champagne an incredibly youthful sparkle.

On the nose, the bouquet is intense, rich and heady – summer fruits, mingled with zest of citrus and more complex notes of cedar and sweet, springtime sap. With time in the glass, these develop into nutty scents of fresh almonds and marzipan, then a hint of upside-down apple tart, baked apples and caramel.

In the mouth, the taste is unmistakably soft, with that silkiness that comes from harmonious flavours and concentrated fruit. The attack on the palate is crisp and juicy but with a fleshy, melt-in-the mouth combination of finesse and fruitiness. This is quickly followed by flavours of candied citrus and nuts, counterbalanced by a razor-sharp acidity that highlights the wine’s finesse and crystalline purity.  The rich, fleshy texture persists, bringing warmer notes of white chocolate, gingerbread and toast – exquisitely smooth.

A generous, exquisitely balanced Champagne that perfectly captures the exceptional qualities of the 2002 vintage: concentrated, vinous and intense but with a boatload of finesse and crispness. All in all: proud, opulent and luxurious.

Blend: 60 % Pinot Noir,  40 % Chardonnay

Dosage: 8 to 10 grams of sugar per litre. The “liqueur de dosage” is prepared with the greatest of care from a selected blend of 8 to 10 of the very best crus from the Louis Roederer vineyard and then left to age in oak.

This is fantastic with lobster and beluga caviar, or a gourmet salad: lobster and foie gras. It also works with seared salmon or poached sea trout.

Serve at 12°C

The 2002 Cristal Rosé is one of the most overtly vinous wines in this lineup. Rich, powerful and voluptuous on the palate, the 2002 captures the exuberance of the year in spades. Hard candy, cinnamon, spices, mint and wild flowers wrap around the resonant, opulent finish. A head-turning beauty, the 2002 has really blossomed since I last tasted it a few years ago. It is also the showiest and most exotic wine in this vertical. I imagine the 2002 will reward readers with another 15-20 years of exceptional drinking, perhaps more. There isn’t too much to say, except that this is one of the great wines of the vintage.

— Antonio Galloni

98/100 (May 2015)

The 02 Cristal Rose which was voted World Best Champagne by The World Champagne Championship in 2014 is my favourite Rose of Cristal. Vibrant, extremely fresh, wild red berries and strawberries as you first taste the stunning 02 Rose. As the Champagne opens up & bubbles calm down you are left with a lingering and beautiful fruity taste combined with spice, apples, pastry, and rose scents. My opinion and food pairing this time was French Oysters and Rio Frio Caviar Russian style, followed by a beautiful Lobster Risotto. For desert and to end this epic Champagne was enjoyed with a cheese platter of cured French/Spanish cheeses together with grapes.

— Alex_Champagne

100/100 (January 2016)

Additional information

Weight 3.5 kg