Such a gorgeous wine and sculpted wine, a truly sublime experience.
Fine beads wrapped in contrasting beautifully against the golden yellow colour. Lovely bouquet of pear and sweet apple tart, the body had lovely notes honey and full of sweetness to remind one of a sweet shop in one's youth. Finely balanced acidity and lovely tension, finish was full of plushness, one that had a real Gucci feel about it.
Drink now or 7+ years.
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Blind tasting lunch. Wonderful mature nose of bakery spices, bruised apples, not oxidative yet very complex with dried apricot and orange rind as well. Excellent showing, very popular at the table. 96+
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Tasted blind. Bruised apple fruit, honey and caramel and some nutty, almond-like notes. Nice and fresh palate with a slightly creamy texture. Refined and balanced, beautifully aged sparkler.
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Dress still very young with an effervescence still very much alive.
Very mature nose. It is both floral, on exotic fruits and notes of wet stones.
The palate is in line with the nose, with caramelized and apricot notes, and popcorn. Complex, lively and delicate at the same time, it is a complete and balanced wine, the archetype of fine champagne vinified with precision. Great chalky finish, trailing like a furrow.
Excellent, and the magnum effect comes into play given the youth of the wine.
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Champagne study (Chicago, IL): Cristal is such a stylistic contrast to Krug, and having this next to the 168eme made that very stark in a lot of ways. Cristal is much more autolytic and sweet, and there is a confectionary sweetness on the palate that is quite easy to love. Far more yeast-inflected, this feels like it's driven less by the acids than just by the overall idea of plushness. It just feels like a luxurious wine. Drinking very well, I enjoyed this despite not generally being the biggest fan of Cristal.
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PNP into Zalto Burgundy glass (“Fruit” day): Deep golden to the eyes.
Very elegant mature citrus and stone fruits, florals and spices. Signature caramel notes.
Very fine mousse. Incredibly well integrated now, very clean and fine palate.
94 points easy.
Second round, 1/3 left: wow what crazily intense wine now with super ripe and stone fruits like apricots this round and almost popcorn like concentration. 94-95 points.
Third round, last pour: hedonistic yet very high amount of stuffing and enough acidity to still age for another 5-10 years easy.
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Alright...’97 followed one of the greatest vintages for Champagne in at least the last 30, maybe 40 years. It’s always tough to live up to lofty expectations after such a monumental effort. I have to tell you, I was pleasantly surprised at how incredibly well the ‘97 Cristal performed.
Cristal at the core is consistently both powerful and delicate, combining subtlety and precision. The ‘97 was fresh and vibrant with refreshing acidity. It has a silky texture and fruity aromas, complemented by a powerful mineral quality with white fruit and citrus notes. At 23 years the aftertaste is extraordinary, though perhaps showing a touch less depth than the finest vintages of this cuvée.
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This was drinking very nicely and also quite young (which became even more obvious with the '79 next to it). Still very fresh and quite nice. But I think can use some more years.
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Winner in a large tasting. Just perfect right now. Best champagne from 1997 I've ever had. It's creme brulee. Gunpowder and hazelnuts. Saltiness from the sea. Flowers and honey. Preserved lemon. The nose is almost overwhelming and just grows with the hours. It promises so much that the taste delivers and then some... Bottled perfection!
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Färgen är verkligen som från arabiskt guld med mer mörka toner
Doften ger honungskex, vanilj, nötig hösthonung, creame brulee
Smaken ger kanderad citron, smör, cream brulee, härlig perfekt avvägd syra och perfekta mognadstoner.
Min flaska och det här är fantastiskt gott. Jag ligger kanske något i underkant gentemot övriga deltagare i betyg. Solklar WOTN bland nio personer och stentuff konkurrens ger ändå en indikator om såväl LR Cristal generellt, och underskattningen av 97
96 poäng
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Color: Pale golden yellow Aromas - Aromatic with brioche, chalks, baked pip fruit, Body - Delicate creamy mousse, full-bodied, and uber fresh mouthwatering acidity. It's impeccably balanced, complex and intense. Taste - Baked apricot, mandarin orange marmalade, honey crisp apple,golden raspberry, hazelnut, chalk, and mineral with a nice bit of savoriness Finish - Long lingering finish
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The first wine friend Loek has opened yesterday. Not a top vintage, but Roederer made a very good wine. The main quality is the very balanced backbone that supports a masculine style, without being hefty or square. Very good, ripe acidity in the bouquet combined with a pinot majority perfume and in the finish a hint of pepper.
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What a lovely bottle of wine! WOTN. Lovely golden color, tiny bubbles, but remarkabley alive for a 20 year old sparkler. This is what old champagne is supposed to be wonderful toast notes, clean palate, refreshing acidity. This is a wine that I would love to revisit, but alas no more in the cellar. Lovely experiance.
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Für mich der schwächste Wein des Abends. Wenige Aromen, kaum Länge. Aus dem schwierigen Jahr konnte mich bisher nur der extrem frische Coeur de Cuvee von Vilmart überzeugen. 91P
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Pale golden, yellow, green Gooseberry, brioche, stewed stone fruits, honey apple Great acidity, well balanced, creamy and moussey, honey melon, Second glass, went to the NEXT level. Orange marmalade, caramel
AMAZING bottle. WOW! Needed 30 minutes to open up. SUPER!
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Food + Wine Weekend in Chas; 3/2/2017-3/4/2017 (Charleston, SC): I am really digging these older Cristals - helping me understand what all the hype is about. Again, no detailed notes. Part of an amazing dinner pairing with S1. This was just a hint oxidized. More savory and lacking that hint of sweet that you sometimes get with these. Very fine bubbles and a wine that you can taste for minutes after the last sip is finished. Very much enjoyed.
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Gorgeous!!! 97 May have not been a great vintage but aging it ~20+ years did wonders to it because it was delicious. Could of easily drank the whole bottle! Nutty, brioche, off dry, soft bubbles. SO Perfect!!! If all Champagne was able to be like this for 1/2 the price the world would be a better place.
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what can you say, before you know it, the bottle was gone, it was just so good, a super fine mousse, perfect balance and great acidity, only if I could afford another bottle.
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Outstanding, albeit very young and primary yet. Great leesy nose with all the amazing white fruits you would want. No real sherry/brown apple hints yet. Medium/full bodied champagne. Taste opened up over an hour but still mostly primary fruit with some very light sherry and brown apple notes that hint at its amazing future. Obviously great acidity. I would revisit this in 5 years, min. 93 now, will be 95+ in the future
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This is in a perfect place right now. Notes of apricot and pear. Nutty. Just the right amount of sweetness for a brut. Great celebratory bubbly for my anniversary.
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Doesn't get much better than this, at least for me. Huge champagne. Evolved aromatics of brioche, nuts, some wax and honey plays nicely vs. tropical flavors. Very intense and long.
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Dinner at Elite (Elite Chinese Restaurant - Los Angeles, CA): Big and rich, this had a really creamy, toasty thing going on. Along with the bakery-in-a-glass note, I liked its lime and slate tones too. Had nice balance, but lacked a touch of acidity. Very good, though.
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Mi sono approcciato in modo freddo aspettando il peggio (complice anche l'annata) invece ne sono rimasto piacevolmente sorpreso. Bel colore oro antico scarico, bollicina fitta e finissima. Naso classico di nocciola tostata, crosta di pane, mela gialla e qualcosa di speziato. Nel mezzo c'e' anche dell'agrume che spezza la monotonia con un tocco di freschezza. Bocca cremosa, vellutata, di buona struttura, con una delle bollicine piu' delicate e raffinate che ricordi. Chiude molto fresco con grande acidita' che fa venir voglia di berne un'altro sorso. Ne ho bevuti pochi di Cristal, ma alla fin fine mi e' sempre piaciuto anche se preferisco altro.
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This was the second bottle of 1997 Cristal that I have had (the first was several years ago) and it was a very mixed experience. Possibly because the wine appeared to be a bit past its peak, which could have been due to poor storage several years ago. However, the Cristal did still have some life left and showed a mature nutty citrus flavor with some bread, butter, honey, caramel, and spices. The minerality was lacking compared to the previous bottle. Overall 1997 was not a great year for champagne in general and the only bottle from that year that I have truly enjoyed was from Salon. Anyone looking for a Cristal that is more representative of what this cuvee can offer would be better served to go with the 2004.
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Medium to full body. Buttered toast, caramel apple. Well developed at this stage, but many years ahead of it. Don't really know the wine well enough to rate it, but probably low 90s.
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A beautifully colored Champagne with a dark golden hue and small concentrated beads, the nose is tight but with air it reveals a burst of baked apples, toasted almonds, toffee, honey, smoke, and a discrete amount of creamy vanilla. Vibrant flavors of tart green apples, orange rind, honey, with a note of metallic minerality, and spices on the finish. A mid-bodied wine with a great dose of refreshing acidity, crunchy chalky texture, and a long lasting finish.
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Slightly oxidative touch to the appley nose. Cream, vanilla, marzipan and nuts as well as slight fresh herb and bean traces. Dry, fullbodied and round palate with refreshing enough acidity and creamy smooth moussé. Golden apple, pineapple and some more bitter citrus notes. Zesty mid-palate leads to a aftertaste of chestnutty toast and some evident sulfur. Quite nice, but needs more time.
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epic champagne and white burgundy dinner at chez carmichel's
Faint nose-hardly any bubbles but oh so tight cotton candy through the nose and palate full bodied-it's danceable with a medium plus finish nuttiness and candy off the palate-still young, lay it down for at least another ten years
hit of the night-sublime, supreme
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Pale gold coloured. A fantastic layered rich nose with coffee, toasted almonds and burnt toffee. Dense and rich on the palate with creamy caramel and sharp red apples. Very lively fine mousse and good depth of flavour. Unfortunately let-down a bit by the sharp, almost rasping acidity which throws everything out of line. Does this need more time for this to balance out?
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Best champagne I have ever had with no clear runner-up. Had with Carmela for NYE with a couple of Raymond Cheese company cheeses, paired tremendously with tomala farms classico and sally jackson goat cheese. If Champagne was always this good I would be a champagne drunk, like the gangsters. Carmela says, the sally jackson cheese worked well as the pairing and "Cristal or nothing from now on"
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lively but not youthful bubbles yield to kiwi and vanilla, with a soulful and nutty finish. this wine is ready, but of course could be aged indefinitely for maturing in the way of tete de cuvees-- continued change, acquiring more soulfulness but not improving. worth drinking now.
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Office: Me.d dark yellow; int. notes of sugar cookie, yeast, bisquit; much of the frt gone, but hints of apple, mellon; full int. mth, grt bubbles, awesome length--even after being opened and left out the night before!!! A bit vinous, acidic b/c of loss of some freshness, but no problems really. Johnny
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Cristal's consistency is amazing. They've created yet another great champagne. In the glass it is a beautiful amber with a fabulous nose of pear and candied citrus. This one is smooth, rich and crisp. It is like a fine mousse made from Gala apples and Harry and David pears, topped with a dash of carmel. It goes down so smooth, if my wallet allowed it our party could have downed multiple bottles in no time.
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Blind Taste Test from 6 Different Champagnes by 7 different people: 1997 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - 96 1996 Cuvée Dom Pérignon - 93 N.V. Rene Geoffroy Champagne Cuvee Prestige - 88 1988 Krug Champagne Brut - 86 N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut La Française - 83 N.V. Korbel Chardonnay Brut Methode Champenoise - 80
Results: The Dom Perignon and Cristal placed top two among a majority of the tasters, while the 1988 Krug surprisingly placed 4th and 5th on many of the lists.
My first time trying Cristal was a pleasurable experience. A great nose filled with subtle fruits and a color of brilliance shined through the glass. Very easy on the palette and simply the best Champaign of the night.
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Wrap-up dinner at Butterfield9 (Washington DC): I had a quick taste of this bottle that was graciously purchased for the group by Mat Garreton. Then I ceded it to Wendy Collins who was far, far more excited about the wine than I was.
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9/17/2023 - tanduybui Likes this wine: 94 Points
Such a gorgeous wine and sculpted wine, a truly sublime experience.
Fine beads wrapped in contrasting beautifully against the golden yellow colour. Lovely bouquet of pear and sweet apple tart, the body had lovely notes honey and full of sweetness to remind one of a sweet shop in one's youth. Finely balanced acidity and lovely tension, finish was full of plushness, one that had a real Gucci feel about it.
Drink now or 7+ years.
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6/19/2022 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
Blind tasting lunch. Wonderful mature nose of bakery spices, bruised apples, not oxidative yet very complex with dried apricot and orange rind as well. Excellent showing, very popular at the table. 96+
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6/18/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind. Bruised apple fruit, honey and caramel and some nutty, almond-like notes. Nice and fresh palate with a slightly creamy texture. Refined and balanced, beautifully aged sparkler.
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6/7/2022 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 93 Points
In magnum.
Dress still very young with an effervescence still very much alive.
Very mature nose. It is both floral, on exotic fruits and notes of wet stones.
The palate is in line with the nose, with caramelized and apricot notes, and popcorn. Complex, lively and delicate at the same time, it is a complete and balanced wine, the archetype of fine champagne vinified with precision. Great chalky finish, trailing like a furrow.
Excellent, and the magnum effect comes into play given the youth of the wine.
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5/26/2022 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Champagne study (Chicago, IL): Cristal is such a stylistic contrast to Krug, and having this next to the 168eme made that very stark in a lot of ways. Cristal is much more autolytic and sweet, and there is a confectionary sweetness on the palate that is quite easy to love. Far more yeast-inflected, this feels like it's driven less by the acids than just by the overall idea of plushness. It just feels like a luxurious wine. Drinking very well, I enjoyed this despite not generally being the biggest fan of Cristal.
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7/23/2021 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 95 Points
PNP into Zalto Burgundy glass (“Fruit” day): Deep golden to the eyes.
Very elegant mature citrus and stone fruits, florals and spices. Signature caramel notes.
Very fine mousse. Incredibly well integrated now, very clean and fine palate.
94 points easy.
Second round, 1/3 left: wow what crazily intense wine now with super ripe and stone fruits like apricots this round and almost popcorn like concentration. 94-95 points.
Third round, last pour: hedonistic yet very high amount of stuffing and enough acidity to still age for another 5-10 years easy.
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3/15/2021 - jhngo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super young but hallow in the finish.
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12/8/2020 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine: 94 Points
Alright...’97 followed one of the greatest vintages for Champagne in at least the last 30, maybe 40 years. It’s always tough to live up to lofty expectations after such a monumental effort. I have to tell you, I was pleasantly surprised at how incredibly well the ‘97 Cristal performed.
Cristal at the core is consistently both powerful and delicate, combining subtlety and precision. The ‘97 was fresh and vibrant with refreshing acidity. It has a silky texture and fruity aromas, complemented by a powerful mineral quality with white fruit and citrus notes. At 23 years the aftertaste is extraordinary, though perhaps showing a touch less depth than the finest vintages of this cuvée.
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3/7/2020 - hprphf wrote: 91 Points
Magnum. Baked apple, warm fruit, okay bubble, bitter finish. 91
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3/7/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Wine Tasted at Acker Auction (Marea - New York NY): Small glass, brief note. Surprisingly fresh and bright with apple and lemon plus enticing floral notes. From magnum.
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2/16/2020 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
This was drinking very nicely and also quite young (which became even more obvious with the '79 next to it). Still very fresh and quite nice. But I think can use some more years.
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2/14/2020 - Henryleedo wrote: 96 Points
Nutty
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5/30/2019 - Lars1974 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Winner in a large tasting. Just perfect right now. Best champagne from 1997 I've ever had.
It's creme brulee. Gunpowder and hazelnuts. Saltiness from the sea. Flowers and honey. Preserved lemon. The nose is almost overwhelming and just grows with the hours. It promises so much that the taste delivers and then some...
Bottled perfection!
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5/4/2019 - Trydebull Likes this wine: 96 Points
BYOB Mö-Gbg
Helblint för alla andra - min flaska
Färgen är verkligen som från arabiskt guld med mer mörka toner
Doften ger honungskex, vanilj, nötig hösthonung, creame brulee
Smaken ger kanderad citron, smör, cream brulee, härlig perfekt avvägd syra och perfekta mognadstoner.
Min flaska och det här är fantastiskt gott. Jag ligger kanske något i underkant gentemot övriga deltagare i betyg. Solklar WOTN bland nio personer och stentuff konkurrens ger ändå en indikator om såväl LR Cristal generellt, och underskattningen av 97
96 poäng
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5/10/2018 - Martin Redmond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Color: Pale golden yellow
Aromas - Aromatic with brioche, chalks, baked pip fruit,
Body - Delicate creamy mousse, full-bodied, and uber fresh mouthwatering acidity. It's impeccably balanced, complex and intense.
Taste - Baked apricot, mandarin orange marmalade, honey crisp apple,golden raspberry, hazelnut, chalk, and mineral with a nice bit of savoriness
Finish - Long lingering finish
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4/26/2018 - FransS wrote: 94 Points
The first wine friend Loek has opened yesterday. Not a top vintage, but Roederer made a very good wine. The main quality is the very balanced backbone that supports a masculine style, without being hefty or square. Very good, ripe acidity in the bouquet combined with a pinot majority perfume and in the finish a hint of pepper.
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12/31/2017 - Winelover48 wrote: 93 Points
What a lovely bottle of wine! WOTN. Lovely golden color, tiny bubbles, but remarkabley alive for a 20 year old sparkler. This is what old champagne is supposed to be wonderful toast notes, clean palate, refreshing acidity. This is a wine that I would love to revisit, but alas no more in the cellar. Lovely experiance.
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12/11/2017 - aquacongas wrote: 91 Points
Für mich der schwächste Wein des Abends. Wenige Aromen, kaum Länge. Aus dem schwierigen Jahr konnte mich bisher nur der extrem frische Coeur de Cuvee von Vilmart überzeugen. 91P
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3/5/2017 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
BRITT'S 45TH B-DAY
Siostra's visited..
Pale golden, yellow, green
Gooseberry, brioche, stewed stone fruits, honey apple
Great acidity, well balanced, creamy and moussey, honey melon,
Second glass, went to the NEXT level. Orange marmalade, caramel
AMAZING bottle. WOW! Needed 30 minutes to open up. SUPER!
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3/2/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Food + Wine Weekend in Chas; 3/2/2017-3/4/2017 (Charleston, SC): I am really digging these older Cristals - helping me understand what all the hype is about. Again, no detailed notes. Part of an amazing dinner pairing with S1. This was just a hint oxidized. More savory and lacking that hint of sweet that you sometimes get with these. Very fine bubbles and a wine that you can taste for minutes after the last sip is finished. Very much enjoyed.
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1/1/2017 - Vino&Whiskey Likes this wine: 97 Points
Gorgeous!!! 97 May have not been a great vintage but aging it ~20+ years did wonders to it because it was delicious. Could of easily drank the whole bottle! Nutty, brioche, off dry, soft bubbles. SO Perfect!!! If all Champagne was able to be like this for 1/2 the price the world would be a better place.
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12/20/2016 - danielk168 wrote: 93 Points
what can you say, before you know it, the bottle was gone, it was just so good, a super fine mousse, perfect balance and great acidity, only if I could afford another bottle.
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10/17/2015 - ericindc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding, albeit very young and primary yet. Great leesy nose with all the amazing white fruits you would want. No real sherry/brown apple hints yet. Medium/full bodied champagne. Taste opened up over an hour but still mostly primary fruit with some very light sherry and brown apple notes that hint at its amazing future. Obviously great acidity. I would revisit this in 5 years, min. 93 now, will be 95+ in the future
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10/10/2015 - Monaco Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is in a perfect place right now. Notes of apricot and pear. Nutty. Just the right amount of sweetness for a brut. Great celebratory bubbly for my anniversary.
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3/6/2015 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
some secondary aromas. drinking well now and has some complexity.
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12/4/2014 - Leoville_2012 wrote: 95 Points
Doesn't get much better than this, at least for me. Huge champagne. Evolved aromatics of brioche, nuts, some wax and honey plays nicely vs. tropical flavors. Very intense and long.
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9/10/2014 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
Dinner at Elite (Elite Chinese Restaurant - Los Angeles, CA): Big and rich, this had a really creamy, toasty thing going on. Along with the bakery-in-a-glass note, I liked its lime and slate tones too. Had nice balance, but lacked a touch of acidity. Very good, though.
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8/13/2013 - Venexian wrote: 91 Points
Mi sono approcciato in modo freddo aspettando il peggio (complice anche l'annata) invece ne sono rimasto piacevolmente sorpreso. Bel colore oro antico scarico, bollicina fitta e finissima. Naso classico di nocciola tostata, crosta di pane, mela gialla e qualcosa di speziato. Nel mezzo c'e' anche dell'agrume che spezza la monotonia con un tocco di freschezza. Bocca cremosa, vellutata, di buona struttura, con una delle bollicine piu' delicate e raffinate che ricordi. Chiude molto fresco con grande acidita' che fa venir voglia di berne un'altro sorso. Ne ho bevuti pochi di Cristal, ma alla fin fine mi e' sempre piaciuto anche se preferisco altro.
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6/21/2013 - Krugman wrote: 87 Points
This was the second bottle of 1997 Cristal that I have had (the first was several years ago) and it was a very mixed experience. Possibly because the wine appeared to be a bit past its peak, which could have been due to poor storage several years ago. However, the Cristal did still have some life left and showed a mature nutty citrus flavor with some bread, butter, honey, caramel, and spices. The minerality was lacking compared to the previous bottle. Overall 1997 was not a great year for champagne in general and the only bottle from that year that I have truly enjoyed was from Salon. Anyone looking for a Cristal that is more representative of what this cuvee can offer would be better served to go with the 2004.
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6/18/2013 - JimN Likes this wine:
Medium to full body. Buttered toast, caramel apple. Well developed at this stage, but many years ahead of it. Don't really know the wine well enough to rate it, but probably low 90s.
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6/2/2013 - Heath Barnes wrote:
NCV event of bubbles at Ralphs house
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5/29/2013 - MissHighwater Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slight oxidation on nose. Burnt Caramel. Pears. Honey. Not a light aperitif style of champagne. Much more weighty. Fascinating.
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12/31/2012 - Gobi wrote: 96 Points
A beautifully colored Champagne with a dark golden hue and small concentrated beads, the nose is tight but with air it reveals a burst of baked apples, toasted almonds, toffee, honey, smoke, and a discrete amount of creamy vanilla. Vibrant flavors of tart green apples, orange rind, honey, with a note of metallic minerality, and spices on the finish. A mid-bodied wine with a great dose of refreshing acidity, crunchy chalky texture, and a long lasting finish.
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11/1/2012 - avp wrote:
Slightly oxidative touch to the appley nose. Cream, vanilla, marzipan and nuts as well as slight fresh herb and bean traces.
Dry, fullbodied and round palate with refreshing enough acidity and creamy smooth moussé. Golden apple, pineapple and some more bitter citrus notes. Zesty mid-palate leads to a aftertaste of chestnutty toast and some evident sulfur.
Quite nice, but needs more time.
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8/20/2012 - Cancuk wrote: 94 Points
Beauty
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6/13/2012 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
epic champagne and white burgundy dinner at chez carmichel's
Faint nose-hardly any bubbles but oh so tight
cotton candy through the nose and palate
full bodied-it's danceable with a medium plus finish
nuttiness and candy off the palate-still young, lay it down for at least another ten years
hit of the night-sublime, supreme
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1/11/2012 - Lype Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ripe fruit, attractive, a bit softer and mo approachable than the tight -00.
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10/14/2011 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Artadi tasting. The son of the producer came over to join us. (@ WB): Not many notes, but this is beautiful and complex bubble. Beautiful freshness and some yeast.
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12/26/2010 - Biggsy wrote: 90 Points
Pale gold coloured. A fantastic layered rich nose with coffee, toasted almonds and burnt toffee. Dense and rich on the palate with creamy caramel and sharp red apples. Very lively fine mousse and good depth of flavour. Unfortunately let-down a bit by the sharp, almost rasping acidity which throws everything out of line. Does this need more time for this to balance out?
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12/31/2009 - Sausalito wrote:
Best champagne I have ever had with no clear runner-up. Had with Carmela for NYE with a couple of Raymond Cheese company cheeses, paired tremendously with tomala farms classico and sally jackson goat cheese. If Champagne was always this good I would be a champagne drunk, like the gangsters. Carmela says, the sally jackson cheese worked well as the pairing and "Cristal or nothing from now on"
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7/29/2009 - K_Street_NW wrote: 95 Points
lively but not youthful bubbles yield to kiwi and vanilla, with a soulful and nutty finish. this wine is ready, but of course could be aged indefinitely for maturing in the way of tete de cuvees-- continued change, acquiring more soulfulness but not improving. worth drinking now.
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6/3/2009 - itsallaboutwine wrote: 92 Points
very good indeed!
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5/19/2009 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Office: Me.d dark yellow; int. notes of sugar cookie, yeast, bisquit; much of the frt gone, but hints of apple, mellon; full int. mth, grt bubbles, awesome length--even after being opened and left out the night before!!! A bit vinous, acidic b/c of loss of some freshness, but no problems really. Johnny
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12/20/2008 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 95 Points
DElightful! Very smooth with a slight apple taste. Great light fruit on the nose.
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5/11/2008 - rmcbarnet wrote: 92 Points
Pale gold, good acidity, lovely mousse. Slight toasted nuts mixed with green apples. Not blown way by it though.
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2/11/2007 - JeffW wrote: 92 Points
Drank from a magnum. This wine needs a bit of time. The citrus kept growing. It needs better balance with the rest of the flavors.
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12/31/2006 - boxwine_in_hell wrote: 95 Points
Cristal's consistency is amazing. They've created yet another great champagne. In the glass it is a beautiful amber with a fabulous nose of pear and candied citrus. This one is smooth, rich and crisp. It is like a fine mousse made from Gala apples and Harry and David pears, topped with a dash of carmel. It goes down so smooth, if my wallet allowed it our party could have downed multiple bottles in no time.
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1/4/2006 - Massengale wrote: 100 Points
Chugged from bottle to celebrate University of Texas National Football Championship victory!!!
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1/1/2006 - mrwhy2k wrote: 96 Points
Blind Taste Test from 6 Different Champagnes by 7 different people:
1997 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - 96
1996 Cuvée Dom Pérignon - 93
N.V. Rene Geoffroy Champagne Cuvee Prestige - 88
1988 Krug Champagne Brut - 86
N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut La Française - 83
N.V. Korbel Chardonnay Brut Methode Champenoise - 80
Results:
The Dom Perignon and Cristal placed top two among a majority of the tasters, while the 1988 Krug surprisingly placed 4th and 5th on many of the lists.
My first time trying Cristal was a pleasurable experience. A great nose filled with subtle fruits and a color of brilliance shined through the glass. Very easy on the palette and simply the best Champaign of the night.
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12/12/2005 - burningstarIV wrote: 94 Points
Youthful but deep green fruit nose. Elegant, light and flexible across green salad, corn, potatos, tilapia. 50+5+12+18+9=94
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8/12/2005 - Eric wrote:
Wrap-up dinner at Butterfield9 (Washington DC): I had a quick taste of this bottle that was graciously purchased for the group by Mat Garreton. Then I ceded it to Wendy Collins who was far, far more excited about the wine than I was.
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12/20/2004 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
Rich and smooth, vanilla and gingerbread, freshness from the Chardonnay, a beautifully balanced and stylish Cristal.
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