louis roederer cristal rosé 2013 750ml

2013 was characterized by a particularly late growing cycle. A seemingly endless winter was followed by a very cool, late spring. We had to wait until the start of July for flowering to begin - something we hadn't seen in Champagne for quite some time! Fortunately, summer was glorious with plenty of sunshine, record high temperatures and very low rainfall, ideal for the ripening of the Pinot noirs and Chardonnays. The temperatures were cool for the October harvest and the resulting wines are elegant and fresh - the sign of a classics vintage.

TASTING NOTES:
Light, delicate soft pink hue.
Bright, vibrant, ultra-fine bubbles.
Refined bouquet of freshly-picked tart red fruit (wild strawberry, raspberry) and lemon-scented flower petals. The pure, precise fragrances delicately intertwine and are gradually joined by overtones of fresh almonds, bread, and spices (cocoa beans). These nuanced, intricately interwoven fragrances are ethereal and transcendent. Intense, velvety, and captivating on the palate. What else would you expect after such perfume? The juicy, concentrated red fruit gradually pulls towards a raspberry liqueur character complemented by invigorating, sweet citrus aromas. The harmony and delicacy of the wine is reinforced by the creamy bubbles which create a sensation of roundness and concentration. The mineral freshness lengthens the palate; it becomes vertical, chalky, saline, and sapid with a sensation of perpetual acceleration created by the pure, bright limestone.

Blend: 55% Pinot noir, 45% Chardonnay

CRITICAL ACCLAIM
99 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer's 2013 Cristal Rose is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage's bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it's also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, 2013 isn't as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it's the 2013's alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that's so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region's tete de cuvee bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire."

98 points, Jeb Dunnuck
"If you're a Champagne lover and this doesn't do it for you, I don't know what will. A magical Champagne that's just about as good as it gets, the 2013 Cristal Rose reveal a lighter salmon hue to go with a rich yet also subtle nose of orange blossom, white flowers, toasted brioche, and chalky minerality. It takes some coaxing but is incredibly complex aromatically and offers more spice, dried strawberry, and library book-like nuances as it sets in the glass. Richly textured on the palate, it's medium to full-bodied and has surprising opulence as well as a great mid-palate, all of which are balanced by a vibrant spine of acidity. It starts out seemingly soft and easygoing yet changes with air, and it possesses an incredible mix of suppleness, texture, and precision that is something to behold. It can be drunk today or cellared for 20 or 30 years, possibly even longer."

98 points, James Suckling
"Aromas of strawberry, iron, orange peel and brioche follow through to a full body with gorgeous fruit and sweet tannins that layer the wine. Strawberry-patisserie undertones. Rather juicy and chewy with very round, fine tannins. Savory, flavorful and lightly spicy. Caressing finish with lots of fruity flavor and dryness."

98 points, Vinous
"The 2013 Cristal Rosé is searingly intense right out of the glass, just like the Blanc, except it has a bit more fleshiness because of the skin contact on the Pinot. Cristal Rosé has one of the best track records for aging in Champagne. I suspect the 2013 will join the ranks of the epic vintages, but it is painfully tight today. The blend is 55% Pinot Noir (from Ay) and 45% Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) done in the classic Roederer infusion style in which Pinot Noir is vinified on the skins and then blended with Chardonnay to complete the fermentation. About 25% of the lots were done in oak, while malolactic fermentation was blocked."

750ml bottle