Article: Cristal 2018
Cristal 2018
I've written many times about Roederer since that visit, it left an impression on me that few winery visits ever have. It was hard not to be in awe of the history and the immaculate winery (you could eat off the floor), with row after row of tanks, barrels, and winemaking equipment. Yes, it's a big place and one of the "Big Houses" — but the way they operate is far from a big-house mentality.
Under Lecaillon's leadership and forward-thinking approach, they undertook a shift to biodynamics well before it was fashionable. He knew that great wine started in the vineyard, and the meticulous approach to vineyard work is one I'd liken to a vigneron farming 2 hectares, not 180! That shift didn't come without its share of difficulties, but Lecaillon understood the path forward and stayed the course.
Decisions he made 20 years ago are finally starting to reveal themselves, and the results are absolutely breathtaking. The wines have never been better! There is always an intensity and concentration to Cristal, but Lecaillon is also able to preserve freshness even in the warm vintages that are becoming more common each year in France. He blocks the malolactic fermentation, which plays a huge role in that freshness, but in a vintage like 2018 he fermented and aged more in stainless steel to further boost the wine's energy.
Bravo to this masterpiece! This is a wine that is going to take its rightful place alongside some of the greatest Cristal ever produced. This is one you are going to want to have in your cellar and in quantity! At todays Low USA Pricing this is one not to miss!
The 2018 Cristal opens a new chapter for Roederer. The Cristal estate is composed of 45 parcels. In better vintages, most of the 45 parcels are used for the blend. The 2018 vintage brought with it elevated ripeness and generally low acids. Longtime Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon was forced to cast his gaze wider, to look for parcels that offered a touch of freshness. Lécaillon expanded his palette to 57 parcels. The result is a Cristal unlike any other I have tasted. Orchard fruit, dried flowers, spice, chalk and herbs are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. Floral and savory overtones are quite distinctive. Lécaillon reduced oak ferments, racked very quickly after fermentation and used all his best Chardonnay lots for Cristal, so much so that there is no Blanc de Blancs. He bottled earlier than normal and chose a crown capsule liner that allows less oxygen transfer than the norm here. Taken together, those choices paid off handsomely. In tasting, the 2018 is positively stunning. Its linear energy and brilliance are a bit reminiscent of the 2014, but its flavor profile is completely different from any Cristal I can remember tasting. Dosage is 7 grams per liter.
- VinousMedia/Galloni - 98+
