Louis Roederer 2014 Cristal Brut

The Louis Roederer 2014 Cristal is a testament to the intricate dance of weather conditions that shaped its character. Its radiant, golden hue captures the essence of a vintage marked by sharp climatic contrasts. The nose is an aromatic masterpiece, offering fragrant purity that combines concentrated, candied citrus fruits with delicate notes of grains and lightly roasted almonds. This champagne's dynamic effervescence, characterized by a continuous stream of fine bubbles, gives way to a fruity palate with a silky texture. The soft, integrated bubbles enhance its elegant profile, while the ripe yellow fruit's purity and perfection blend seamlessly with the intense chalky freshness that is the hallmark of Cristal, simultaneously powdery and saline. This harmony extends into the mid-palate, revealing a juicy, concentrated depth and a spicy, sappy structure resulting from aging in large oak vats. The crescendo builds towards the finish, where a rich, grainy, velvety texture is enveloped in a long, saline, and superbly elegant conclusion, making this Champagne a true work of art.

Robert Parker - 96 Points

"The 2014 Cristal is a terrific effort that transcends the vintage. Bursting from the glass with expressive aromas of ripe citrus fruit, nectarine, white flowers, freshly baked bread and subtle hints of honeycomb, it's medium to full-bodied, vinous and fleshy, with an exuberant core of fruit that's girdled by racy acids, resulting in a wine that's simultaneously chiseled and demonstrative, meaning that early appeal doesn't come at the expense of the requisite tension for long-term cellaring. Concluding with a long, aromatic and intensely chalky finish, it is a brilliant Champagne that will offer a broad drinking window. This bottle was disgorged in June 2021 with seven grams per liter dosage."

Antonio Galloni - 98 Points

"The 2014 Cristal is another in a long line of gorgeous wines from Roederer and long-time Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. A dazzling, vibrant Champagne, the 2014 impresses with a stunning combination of fruit density and linear energy that brings to mind a hypothetical blend of 2012 and 2008. At times, the bubbles feel totally wrapped up in waves of creamy, resonant fruit to the point the mousse is barely perceptible, especially with aeration. The flavors are bright and finely sculpted, leaning very much into the citrus, floral and mineral end of the spectrum. The blend is a classic: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay taken from 39 of the 45 parcels that comprise the Cristal estate. In most vintages, the Pinot components are roughly equally split between Verzy/Verzenay and Aÿ, but in 2014, Lécaillon favored Verzy and Verzenay, two north facing villages in the Montagne de Reims (where rain was less problematic) known for conferring saline energy and vibrancy. Rain was much more of an issue in the Vallée de la Marne. Consequently, some of the Pinots in Aÿ were diluted and did not make it into the blend. Chardonnays were sourced from historic plots in Avize, Mesnil and Cramant. About 32% of the lots were fermented in wood, the rest were done in tank. As always, all of the malolactic fermentations were blocked. In 2014, the growing season was marked by a good spring followed by a cool, wet summer and then very favorable weather in September. I vividly recall that there was not much enthusiasm for the vintage at the outset. Today, though, opinions are starting to change, at least with regards to some wines."