2008 Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs Brut Millesime
Louis Roederer inherited the Champagne house in 1833 from his uncle, who had bought it in 1819. The house remains in the family today. It is well known, particularly for its Cristal, which was created exclusively as a sweet champagne for the Russian Tsar in 1867. However, unlike Bollinger and Krug, the house has only recently become part of the elite. The impressive improvements would be unthinkable without the help of Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, who has been responsible for champagne production since 1999. While he is also innovative in the cellar, the decisive improvements are in the vineyard. Louis Roederer himself had a great understanding of the quality of the terroir. He primarily purchases the best Pinot Noir vineyards. During the global economic crisis in the 1930s, the vineyard holdings were greatly expanded. Today they own almost 240 hectares. The Roederers have long been interested in organic farming. It is Jean-Baptiste who manages the conversion and improves the quality of the grapes by giving the vines even more attention.
Cristal is Roederer's most famous champagne. The Russian market was very important for Roederer in the 19th century, and Alexander II was a fan of the house. Due to the increasing number of attacks on the Tsar, a transparent bottle made of real crystal was used to more easily detect poison. Cristal was reserved for the Tsar's family and was very sweet. Cristal as we know it today began with the 1945 vintage.
While Bollinger is more strongly influenced by the warm Pinot Noir vineyards, Cristal exhibits the mineral tension of the Verzenay and Verzy vineyards. While Bollinger has a nutty, chocolatey flavor, especially when aged, Cristal is more vanilla-influenced. It's astonishing how much Kristall has improved over the last 15 years. The vintage wines have also been enhanced. The basic cuvée collection has also become more complex through the increased use of reserve wines.