September 30, 2020 - One of the best Cristals I have tasted. Just supple yet rounded, with sharp acidity and creamy finish. All dancing around on the palate. White fruit and spice. Very very balanced. 95-96
January 17, 2018 - From magnum this was in sparkling form. All oyster shell and orchard fruits with some mushroom and toast development. It still boasts a vigorous mousse and pinhead bead. It has good volume and excellent persistence.
October 30, 2016 - @ Restaurant Vineum in Rotterdam: Sweet fully mature nose displaying toffee, dried fruit and hints of sherry. On the palate no bubbles left but some strong acidity and freshness, changing in the glass into complex aged flavors with truffle, baked apple and toasted brioche. Impressive and a great treat!
October 14, 2016 - Small tasting glass @ VINEUM during service, so a brief note. Amazing this 38 year old Champagne. Tasted twice, once directly from the bottle after opening and a very small glass at the end of the evening. This gained more complexity with time and air. Very special to get to taste this!
October 14, 2016 - Leiden in Rotterdam at Vineum: My first old Cristal, in fact almost 40 years old. Secondary fruit, caramel and sherry tones balanced by good remaining acidity. I had to get used to this style of mature champagne. Got more complex in the glass. Fine to very fine.
October 19, 2012 - Mature and Maturing Bordeaux (Oslo): Mature smell, almost tropical fruit, apricots; vinous and very complex, a slight sweetness, yellow fruit, lemon-candy, caramel. A very good bottle.
October 8, 2011 - Big surprise! Expectations weren't all that high for this bottle served alongside the mighty 1976. But this certainly held it's own with it's darker tones of walnuts, coffee, dried tomatoes and tobacco among the more usual lemon candy and white flowers.
Hedonistic mouthfeel but still elegant. Impressive! Completely mature but not a hint of oxidation or other signs of heading down hill. Drink now or keep forever.
February 14, 2011 - Light amber color; still quite effervescent; nose good but not great for an older Cristal; lively on palate but not with the explosion of flavor you get in some vintages; a bit shorter than hoped for on the finish. The 1975 I had a few months ago was much better (no shock there).