Brought by the ever generous MN—because what do ever generous people do? They bring wine to wine tastings!—to the kinda crazy Abreu tasting. I’ve only had one other Cristal, the ‘13, 2x, and this was a fairly different animal than what I remembered, more red and green apples and butterscotch, along with light florals and river rocks, less tart citrus, also definitely less oxidative than the Bond-Harlan Krugs. I don’t know how much of that is the respective vintages, how much the different amount of time they’d spent in bottles (or even if my perception is correct, because, as I’ve written elsewhere, I’m less confident in my champs than still wine critiquing skills. This tastes fuller and more mature for sure, as if it’s mid to late drinking window where the ‘13 was clearly at the dawn, but with the (relative) downside of a bit less frame, persistence and intensity. It’s still near the high water mark of bubbles I’ve had, would welcome drinking it anytime, anywhere, with just about anything(although my usual non-imaginative pairings of shellfish or dessert would come first to mind, and it would have shone with the night’s sushi more than the CdC did) or nothing at all. MN, thank you, thank you, thank you, again. 96+
This was really nice. Baked apple, licorice toast with a touch of marzipan. Great mouthfeel and finish. Really nice cut. Bueatiful wine that is in its prime window. Enjoyed this much more that the one I opened several years ago.
blind Beautifully elegant and with a lot of density. Maybe the best 2007 I've ever had. Crystal clear, not too sweet. Not far away from his peak. I would drink it now or the next 5 years. 95-96
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Friendsgiving Dinner (Schur House - Riverwoods IL): Walkaround tasting. Good weight, length, and balance with plenty of apple and some lemon. Very good now, but not a vintage for the back of the cellar.
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Opened at Caprice in HK. P&P and enjoyed over dinner.
Weak vintage Cristal, but in a good spot right now. Very fresh and pure, but some more buttery and toasty notes starting to come through. Not very oxidative. Exactly what I expect and love from Cristal.
Great showing for this vintage. Superb intensity and high-acid but the fruit is there to match for now. The finish is not as palate-staining as the '08 but the vibrancy and freshness are fabulous. I would enjoy this soon in case the fruit fades before the structure and acidity.
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Nose of brioche and ripe stone fruit. Explosive on the mouth with huge concentration and zest, but lacking a bit of mineral structure that I would expect.
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PnP, though this continued to expand and gain creaminess over an hour. Green apple, raw quince, lemon, stone fruit, bread, earth, chalk, and flowers on the nose. Stone fruit, apples, lemon, pear, yeast, and minerals on the palate. High, but mouthwatering acidity, medium body, long finish. Maybe not the most complex Cristal, but elegant, refreshing, and long.
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I let it get a good bit of air, there was a loquat ripeness variation perfection , fantastic chalked breadiness mixed with nectarine and grapefruit. The best sips were when the yellow fruit was in perfect check , suggesting to me that perhaps I wish I had a case to explore over the next twenty years. No regret though now , only pleasure.
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Light gold color. Small glass over 20 minutes plus. Well this was really driven today, tension and minerality with a lot of chalky definition and dry extract followed by a mix of yellow and green fruits. Less toast and nuttiness this time around. Impressive.
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Loved a pour at Lonny's & Kim's 40th Anni party. Marvelous champagne, in every way. A world class head turner with exceptional class, lift & depth. Only problem, while its worth every penny, today's tariffs far exceed my recent retiree budget. Should be on anyone's bucket list if you haven't tasted one yet! Thanks Kevin!! 97+
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Another year around the sun-Birthday #42 (Daisies and Pops for Champagne-Chicago, IL): The nose is elegant, polished, and deep with tones of apples, quince, pears, nectarines, toast, creams, vanilla beans, cake frosting, baking spices, jasmine, yellow flowers, and some biscuits. This shows off very good depth and class with a seamlessness that just allows you to get lost in it. The Medium bodied feel is so balanced and elegant with tart, high acidity. This is drinking perfectly right now. This can certainly age for years to come, but it just now comes down to personal taste as to how mature one wants their champagne.
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Rather disappointing. Surprisingly, it’s more or less one dimensional. I never have been a big Cristal lover, but this one was my worst Cristal so far. As there remain quite some more bottles down in the cellar, I really hope, time will do this one a favor. I stay optimistic and will try the next one in 3-4 years.
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Brought to share with friends over dinner and conversation.
This has a lot of flair with great acids, saline and mineral backbone. Fruit leans a little stone and apple fruit but the brioche nicely balances that. Really I mean I REALLY like the acid on this. Striking.
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Vicki's Celebration Dinner (James & Carrie's, Mpls): Light gold color. Drank a glass plus over 3 hours. This has a lovely, crystalline nose dominated by ocean breezes, pear, moderately toasted, biscuit and cashew cream. The palate is poised and focused; an elegant Cristal. Pear panna cotta, tart green apple, nutty, toast, yeast, biscuit, and a touch of apple peel later. There's plenty of fruit here now and the acidity keeps it lively. More to come. 93+ to 94pts.
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Popped this for our Anniversary lunch at Brasserie 4. Brioche toast and yeast, lemony goodness, apple, with great acids. Killed with oysters and a nice match with moules frites. Wife had potatoe leek soup and brown buttered fish that paired well with the wine as well. Was lucky enough to get a few glasses of the 09 later at a party, delish as well, but think I prefer the 07 at this time.
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This wine is developing nicely and I have hope for improvement in the future. a Few years ago, this was less substantial but it is growing into itself with increasing richness, if not the lightness and precision of the 06. Definitely worth drinking but there may be better champagnes for less money.
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I'm not a champagne fan...frankly I think Lemarco Prosecco is as good as any champagne I've ever had. needs 10 mins to blow off sour funk....thick, apple, pear, bubbly...not worth $215 in my book...but consider the taster's bias!
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Fine mousse in the glas, light golden coloured, the nose full of baked ripe apples, pears and toasted bread aromas, nutty a really mouth filling Champagne, good weight, toast, candied fruit, nuts, although with elegant flow over the midpalate, firm and very balanced showing tonight, all completed by the supporting lively acid, very good length here again, in its beginning prime, opens up with more aeration in the glass, will hold another decade in your cellar, ***(*+?), around 93, 94
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I thought this showed fabulously well and while it may continue to evolve, seemed ready enough for pleasure now. Light gold in the glass, with fine mousse, it was aromatically open with lemon meringue pie, puff paste, and dehydrated green apple. Fabulous concentration and length. I wouldn’t hesitate to open one if you’re holding.
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Pronounced nose intensity with notes of baked apple, bread, toast. High acidity and medium+ body. Long finish. Crisp and fresh. Just enter drinking window, very enjoyable.
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C’est une bombe de puissance. Encore dans un bloc, mérite un autre facile 5 à 8 ans de cave pour trouver un bel équilibre. M’a fait beaucoup penser à Krug il y a quelques années. Très bon, mais pas encore en place pour l’apprécier à sa juste valeure.
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Just pnp another sparkler right away, you should not wait for Christmas, birthday or fiesta grande, just grab this one if you are in a good mood, maybe some friends are with you......, very intense nose, bread crust and pear and apple fruit, on the palate showing warm bread, white toasted bread crust, baked still warm apples, and chalk, loads of mineral chalk, candied fruit and nuts, all kind of nuts, walnut very predominant, but most impressing is this mineral core, a bottle to chew on again, it is all about lightness and elegance, long finish with intense lively acid, very good with a decent aeration right now, but will hold easily another decade, ***(*+?), around 93, 94(+) potential
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From Magnum. In a nice spot. Clean and lean with nutty notes. Zippy citrus lemon with broad fruit in a zingy style. Good complexity keeps me coming back for another taste. Shows breed and was a crowd favorite.
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Recently had the '08 and '12. This not as good as the '08, but comparable to the '12 imo. Energetic, mineral, some brioche. Good acidity and length. I think it has aging potential.
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Cristal is definitely starting to grow on me. Quite a nutty and savoury nose. Easy drinking and good to drink now. Definitely much more mature than the 2008.
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Well-balanced, tight acidity, lemon, almond, chalk, refreshing minerality. Rich yet elegant. Excellent now but still on the upswing. 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir.
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Light gold color. Split bottle over 2.5 hours. This has an ultra fine bead with a delicate mousse. The nose has a refreshingly brisk sea air minerality, green apple, yeast, ginger, apple crisp, lightly floral, with almond and sweet cream butter hints. The palate is fairly consistent with my last note. I don't find this heavy or really full bodied. I'd call this elegant and refined in style even as it takes on a little more weight over time. The palate is sleek and impeccably balanced, drawing on the crisp green apples, lemon and citrus fruit to complement the perfectly toned chalk minerality; lightly toasted, nutty, with the same brightness and fresh ocean minerals coming through as the nose. There is some drive here and a light creaminess to the mousse as well. More reminescent of Comte Champagne in style currently. Wonderful; with a sense of more to come. 94+ to 95pts.
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Starting the last day of this year with a hopefully reference champagne blend, not the very best vintage, but more important for great vinification is soil and producer, pnp, very intense bubbles in the glass, the nose caramel, biscuits some ripe apples, persistent, rich in fruit, candied though, mouthfilling, lively balanced acidity to add the great freshness, tried this bottle in Riedel Sommelier Champagne glasses and to compare it in bigger Gabriel glasses, normally I do prefer bigger glasses for Champagne to get the flavours open better, but today the Champagne glass is the better choice, more density, deep rich flavours, more focused, layered lingering finish, finesse rules, great bottle today and again, but no need to finish bottles from this vintage, will easily improve over the next decade+, ***(*-*****), 94-96-?
Agree with Vinous on this one... considering the vintage, this really knocks it out of the park. Excellent fruit and acidity, a good richness that makes it easy to drink now.
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MW Prestige Cuvees Champagne Panel Tasting, nose of spring flowers, shy nose, slate, and citrus, big body, intense fruit, mouth filling fruit, needs 5 years to peak, elegant, almost creamy texture, long finish, 5 grams dosage, 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay.
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This is fully mature and ready. Perfect balance between complexity, acidity, and extreme carbonation (being the most interesting of the 3 components)...Drink or Hold
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a pity this is so expensive - I would have it more often for its freshness. It is a lovely, crisp champagne, very clean and refreshing. Very pleasing style. None of the complexity of a grower champagne
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First bottle of Cristal; nose is very good with ripe orchard fruits, hints of lemon and peach blossom, brioche, a bit of sweet spice, and jasmine. The palate has lovely breadth and good depth with very good energy. The finish leaves a lingering note of an apple pastry. Really tasty though I must say for the price there are plenty of Champagnes that are competitive at lower cost.
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Blind: Usually like cristal but this one was a bit disappointing. Fresh, but lacks of depth, short, never would have guessed a champagner in this price range. Bottle was in perfect condition.
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Biondi-Santi Riserva wine dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay. From a magnum, this was lipsmackingly delicious - really quite surprisingly so given how young it is. Symptomatic of the modern Cristal style I suppose - advanced, but in a lovely way. It had a really pretty nose, with apple fruit, spice and mineral, with a bit of baked bread aromas on the side. The palate had a nice richness to it, with ripe lemons and red apples carried on a stream of snappy acidity, with a lovely mineral undertow beneath that. There was a gorgeous shape and poise on the wine, with a lovely pull of insistent, linear intensity that led into a lemon zesty finish. Quite wonderful - power and finesse aplenty in a delicious complete package. Wow.
Light gold color. Drank 2 glasses over an hour. Super nose, really expressive out of the glass, acacia blossoms, wispy sea breezes, fresh cut apple and pear, freshly baked bread. On the palate this is elgant and fresh, good presence, yeast, lemon, creamy mousse, apple, sea minerality. Almost drinks like a sparkling Chablis tonight as Gary said. A wonderful bottle and thanks to Gary for sharing this. .
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6th Annual Wilson School Auction Tasting (A Wine Adventure): . Tasted over 30 minutes -clear yellow, fine mousse -a bit of yeast and slight quinine -med+ acidity, fantastic cut and balance, power without weight, complex and sappy yellow fruit -aromatics tight but just a solid powerful complex gorgeous wine on the palate
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Typically not a Champagne drinker but always up for the good stuff. PNP at a restaurant for a friends dinner birthday party with 2009 as well (preferred the 2 years of extra bottle age while the 2009 might have a better profile). Firm acidity for 12 years old, nutty, brioche with typical citrus but softer and better blended with a hit of a berry? Beginng to have a creamy texture which I enjoy. Well done. 92-93
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Found this bottle in the same shop as the Mormoreto, unbeatable price, here we go again: stunning complex nose, changing every quarter of an hour, hazelnut, walnut, brioche at its best, we were just dreaming of having some foie gras, scallops or sakura srimps with it, this one is all about complexity and superb elegance, ending very long and very convincing, getting better over the whole evening, can be enjoyed from now on but will be better in 3- 5+ years, highly recommended! ***(**), 94- 97+ potential, 94 for today
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Racy, energetic, light and refreshing with wonderful tart citrus, sour green apple, crunchy red berries, some toast, and very fine bubbles. Perhaps lightly linear and austere to some, but this is still relatively young and likely will change give additional cellaring. High acidity supports a very long, satisfying finish. Excellent!
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Wine Workshop: An evening with Cristal (Atera - 77 Worth Street in NYC): From a magnum. Not a great year for champagne apparently. This wine probably would have been just fine on it's own, but it paled in this company. A bit more oxidized than I would have expected. More toasty. Missing some of that nice crisp fruit that the other wines had. Served very cold and that brought out the acidity more. Not really in the same league although not a bad wine at all.
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From magnum. Liked it, didnt love it. Its very good but somewhat linear and one dimensional. Good lemon and toast notes and very refreshing and light. Easy to drink. Lacking complexity and nuance even for a young Champagne.
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Very clean and crisp style. The extended aging en tirage delivered excellent depth of marmite and notes of white chocolate. The balance of this wine is remarkable and precise. Very lithe on the palate. Seems like this is in a good space to drink.
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lighter styled and very precise. Refreshing, yet combines substance with grace. Too easy to drink so one might not give it the attention it deserves before the glass is, once again, empty.
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Got a chance to finally have a gulp of this beauty during service. According to the history books, Louis Roederer created Cristal for Tsar Alexander II in 1876, when Russia was the largest export market for many of the famous champagne houses. Alex, who was not very fond of sharing and caring, called up Louis and told him to make a series of transparent cristal bottles with a flat bottom. They would be filled with sweet Champagne and would cause the winery problems after the Russian Revolution as they had unpaid invoices and a stock of sweet wine that no one wanted. Good times. Today the wine is made in a dry style and displays glorious purity. The 2007 had delicious quince, French toast, green apple and lemon zest bursting on the nose. Rich mouthfeel, perfectly soft mousse and thirst-quenching acidity. Complex with a slight saltiness that persists into the aftertaste. A true representation of class and royalty.
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2007 LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL BRUT- 57% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay; this bottle had bracing acidity almost overwhelmingly so; the nose gave up some mild citrus, most especially lemon; when I tasted it, it reminded me of Cream Soda pop from childhood days with its sweet lemon taste; additionally, some minerals and spicy mild cherry also join in as well as a hit of saline; this had great mouthfeel after getting acclimated to the initial hit of acidity.
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A lost Friday afternoon gathering – 75 Trotanoy, 07 Roumier BM and 10 Jobard Les Tillets that we all guessed at the Roulot. (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Big scale ripe nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, bake apple, cinnamon, caramel and mineral. Exceptional concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, rich and chewy, generous fine mousse, bright acidity and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish. IMO, Cristal takes a long time to mature. I suspect that this will developed like the 82 or the 90. If you prefer the precision of Salon, this may not be to your liking. Excellent showing.
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Leanest and most elegant champagne of the night. Very perfumed nose with powerful plush florals and citrus. Great crisp acidity, super clean and fresh with racy minerality.
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It is difficult to be neutral when you drink a wine like this, with all its mythical scorings. But to put it bluntly; this is just a great wine. It´s qualities are more like a good, white burgundy with bubbles, than other champagnes. Straw yellow. Intense aromas of green apples, bergamot, nuts and some yeast. Full bodied, almost sweet fruit resembling apples and citrus. Long and intense aftertaste with clear notes of nuts and minerals (chalk). If anything, this is an intense wine that is really best appreciated with food. Shellfish would be great, and so would any other type of fish (both white and red). It would tackle white meat with grace, and - if aged 5-10 years - would probably be great with mild game.
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For me, the nose was almost nonexistent, others said they could detect honey and stone fruits. It took a good 20 to 30 min of air for the flavors to develop and then it became quite nice and complex. Unfortunately, I had opened a bottle of 02 piper heidsieck rare the night before and the memory of that just blew away this 07 cristal -- not even in the same ballpark and when you factor in that the crystal costs quite a bit more than the piper, it comes out even worse in a comparison of the two. While a good champagne, I would say that the quality - price-ratio is fairly poor for the cristal. 92 --after an hour. I have a couple more bottles of crystal in the cellar, but I would not buy more based on this one's performance --not worth the premium.
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Engel and Truchot dinner at Jade Palace. Lovely start to the evening. Bright gold. Lovely nose of lemon, Chinese pear, green apples, flint, wet grass. Laser like precision on the palate, fantastic balance of young yellow fruit and searing acidity. Definitely got better as the wine warmed up in the glass. Good concentration and length. Impressive!
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<Espumosos del Mundo nº 4> Algo decepcionante esta botella de Cristal, que comenzó ligeramente sucia y mantuvo ese carácter durante toda la cata. Algún apunte salino, bastantes toques de "queso azul", algo de flor blanca... Mejor en boca, con una acidez notable, buena integración del carbónico, dando cremosidad al paso, y bastante persistencia. Quisiera pensar que le falta tiempo en botella, o que la botella estaba defectuosa, porque en conjunto me pareció algo falto de armonía.
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2017 Sella Ronda Ski Trip; 1/12/2017-1/15/2017 (Alta Badia, Italy): Having tried this a few years ago and rated 93 and full of promise we were to be honest a bit underwhelmed with this wine. We expected a lot more, more depth more complexity. Maybe we are being a bit too aggressive with the wine but really for the pedigree and price we wanted more.
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New Year's Day Champagne Celebration (Brad & Marcia's Place, St. Paul, MN): What a nice surprise that Brad had opened this. Always a joy to drink this, and to have it twice in a short span....hey now! Still youthful and going to get significantly better with just another couple years. I suspect. 93(+)pts.
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Big apple, with lemon, and pear, and simple toast and yeast. The champagne was light and delicate. Very feminine and soft. Some might find it elegant and understated. Small tiny bubbles. I prefer a more concentrated drink. The champagne was much better after an hour. It was nice to drink and best for those who prefer a more delicate style. We drank it on New Years which did not quite match the mood of the evening.
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Louis Roederer Masterclass (Afros & Fisalides Wine Fair, Grande Bretagne Hotel): 58% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay, 15% of the wine was fermented in oak barrels with weekly battonage, no malolactic, grapes from the 10 best crus of Roederer, sur lies for 60 months, and 6 more months extra maturation after the disgorgement, dosage 9,5 gr/lt Very decadent nose, ripe fruit, brioche and nutty flavors, buttery. The palate copies the nose showing ripe fruit again, great body and creamy texture, it shows some aged nuances.
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Crystal Wine Champagne Tasting: Soft, floral nose with faint hints of cherry. Very pretty and delicate. Builds depth in the glass adding lees. Good weight and richness on the palate, but not particularly rich by Cristal standards. Lip smacking. Good length.
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Cristal, party wine, strip club wine, not one that creates deep thoughts. First sip, pleasant but faint flavors, the pleasure is in the way it goes down. Where some wines are chewie, some are powerful, this girl goes down like a breath of cool air. Perfect paring would be a lap dance and a Marlboro.
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Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (I Nonni, St. Paul, MN): Light gold color. Drank 1+ glass over an hour. I'd been looking forward to trying this since missing a Roederer tasting a week earlier where it was being poured. Probably a bit too cold initially out of my bag, but as it warmed a bit I found it developing nicely. Probably still too young, but giving a great deal of pleasure already. Lively, lovely, lemon, lemon curd, light ginger, toast, hints of almond, and a long finish. This shows grace and good intensity, and it isn't heavy at all. I would expect this will take on more weight over time. I'll lay off opening anymore for a couple years.
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2007 is 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir. For me this felt slightly more austere / less rich than the 2002 that I'm most familiar with. It has stunning energy, grand cru intensity, pristine fruit, focused minerality and acidity. A special wine as always! Many thanks to R&Rler for bringing this to our annual holiday party.
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Green apple, lemon, grapefruit with a hint of tropical fruit and Honey. Very bright acidity and good minerality. This bottle was more mature than the prior bottles we had in the past few months.
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GMs - Kevin Farewell @ GC: Cherry, lemom, floral, pear and toasty biscuit character. Rich and full bodied on the palate, the acidity is high enough to deflect much of the fruit power and focus it decently. Feels open already.
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Got to taste this again, this time accross two days. Compared to the bottle some days ago it was less in focus and sync upon opening. Perhaps due to higher temp. At least it was not near our first bottle. On day two it was back in shape and gave really lovely drinking. Tough generally not my preference, this wine should be had more chilled at the moment. 92p is for days two.
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This is all about elegance and superb balance. Definitely higher on chardonnay than in many vintages but in this instance that translates into more to like. Lovely. 93-95
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Pale lemon yellow color. Very complex and autolytic nose with aromas of ripe citrus fruits, sweet golden apples, some mineral stone dust notes, a little bit of smoke, light apple cobbler tones and a developed hint of caramel. The wine is very ripe, toasty and quite rich on the palate with somewhat weighty mouthfeel and complex flavors of ripe, sweet-toned citrus fruits, roasted nuts, marzipan, some chalky minerality, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, light vanilla cream tones, a hint of peanut butter and an autolytic touch of toasted bread. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity - high enough to keep the wine in balance, but not really enough to lend it good freshness and that racy quality typical of the best vintages of Cristal. The finish is long, ripe and juicy with complex flavors of autolytic toast, nutty complexity, sweet-toned citrus fruits, lemon marmalade, a little bit of marzipan and a hint of caramel.
A wonderfully complex, delicious and beautifully toasty effort, but lacks the verve, precision and crisp acidity of the better vintages of Cristal. A very impressive Champagne in its own right, but not among the best Cristals I've tasted. Might gain some additional complexity with age, but doesn't feel like a vintage you'd want to age extensively.
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Brief tasting note. Nose with tropical fruits and some green apples, rubber, smoke, gunpowder & oyster shells. Palate with green apples (somewhat under ripe) quite high acidity and a bit short & dull. Not up to usual Cristal level in this vintage, at least not at this point. (91 – 92+)
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Sushi at Matsuya Sushi Bar. Bright gold, very primary. This champagne was way too young, but provided lots of drinking pleasure with the white fish sushi. Green apple, lemon, lime, Chinese pear with a touch of white mushroom and soda. There was good concentration of fresh fruit on the palate, with a long sweet finish. Good wine.
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This was my first crack at the 07 Cristal, and this bottle wasn't great. Hopefully it was just the bottle, since the critics and CT give it rave reviews. Will try again.
This was surprisingly open for business already compared to the 2006 when it was newly released. For my palate though, this needs at least 10 years to mature. 93+ potential.
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This was a lovely bottle of Cristal. There was immense power within the wine that makes me sense this would benefit from significant ageing. However, the freshness was very very pleasant. I sensed a solid core of flavour that made this very enjoyable, One for the future but will not disappoint now.
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A bit young. Lots of tropical and citrus on the nose, but the yeast is a little reserved and not quite up to par. Palette was great, lots of lemon and lanolin, a little green apple, and just a bit of honey. Again, the yeast was not quite there but the overall creaminess of this was wonderful. With the pronounced lemon quality, really is a saber in whipped cream.
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Tasted at Munskänkarna Göteborg, Champagne-class session 2, flight 2.
Restrained nose, with a chemical hint. Otherwise a lot of creamy notes, chocolate, apple. On the palate it is clear this wine still needs a lot of time to develop, it is hard and unforgiving. Lets this one sleep in order for it to improve and develop.
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Had it together with Comtes de Champagne 2005 and Louise 2004 at Restaurant Flo in Reims. For me the 2nd best after Louise 2004. But it shows again these bottles need time. For me all too young and too fresh.
Elegant, some citrus and Brioche, but missing the power of a prestige cuvee, very precise acidity but my Cristal problem, it is too reluctant, only 96 and 96 Rose of this Iconic wine were tremendous. 92-93
On opening the nose shows sweet red apples, oven-fresh patisserie - perhaps even a note of marzipan. With air, further notes of lightly stewed orchard fruits emerge. In the mouth, the wine offers crisp apple fruit, bold acidity and an impressively rich midpalate. You can really sense the class and potential here. Very impressive.
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A baby Cristal as a perfect companion with the creme brulée. Pinot notes dominate, powerful in your face Champagne. Still young but already very accessible.
Visiting Louis Roederer: Well, everyone knows the origin of this cuvee, dating back to Tsar Alexander II who asked Louis Roederer back in the later 19th century to make him an "exclusive" wine. The best parcels were selected back then to do so, the best are used today as well: mainly from old vines from grand cru vineyards owned by Roederer and often cultivated according to biodynamic principles and vinified parcel by parcel. 2007 was a "fresh" vintage, no malolactic fermentation however, with 9.5 grams of residual sugar. Aged for six years in bottle before disgorging. An amazing balance of power and precision, this blend of around 58-42 Pinot Noir-Chardonnay, because the flavors and aromatics are so much more vivid than the other cuvees I tried on my visit to Roederer. White stone fruits, vibrant lemon aspects, meadow field freshness, mid palate concentration, ultra fine tickling bubbles, a long finished marked by subtle almond notes. Yes, this is expensive, but I see that it is superior to the others. If you have the cash, go for it.
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Initially quite closed, with the typical Roederer citrus notes, but after ca 30 minutes in the glass this tastes apples and brioche and shows some depth. No complexity to speak of, however.
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[IWFS-Vic DRC Montrachet, Various RSV & d'Yquem Dinner at Vue de Monde] Pale straw color; fine mousse & persistent minuscule beads. Brioche nose above white peach, green apple bouquet with cues of mineral, white flowers, apricot, quince, grapefruit, lemon zest, poached pear, almond meal, spice & cream. About medium weight, intense, buoyant & fresh with intricate fruit flavors & complex nuances fully assimilated into a continuum of effervescent juice, and delicately balanced by fresh acidity with enhanced harmony & focus. Long zesty finish.
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2 very consistent bottles on the day. Bright, fresh full of energy and albeit young not difficult (in a way that DP is), full of character and elegance. Nice structure and well balanced too and really it can only but get better from here on. More mineral than ripe at this stage but the world is its oyster. 93 for now from us. Max celebration points too.
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Zachys Champagne Extravaganza: Showing the signature effervescent yet packed energetic mousse, smallest bubbles of any champagne I know. A textural delight, yet more closed aromatically than some of its peers. Missing the floral complexity now. Good.
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Champagne - 100 Vintage and NV Champagne; 12/15/2015-12/15/2020: During a vintage Champagne tasting at a Merchant. Fresh nose of apple, quince with a hint of vanilla, reminding me of a Chardonnay where the ripeness has really been pushed. Very little of the typical mineral and yeast notes in this Champagne. So, if you prefer the classic style this will not be your first choice. Finishes aromatic, with a strong apple cider note.
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My first experience with Cristal in awhile. Drank at a tasting that Sherry Lehmann was putting on in the city next to the regular Brut and the 2006 Brut Nature. This was clearly the star of the show, but more based on a guess I'm making on potential than real 'drink today'. I am a fan of champagnes that can best be described as cashmere and this certainly had that. The bubbles were so fine one hardly noticed them at all. And it had some of the characteristics that I associate with 1990 champagne - more of a fruitiness, toast in balance with other flavors versus dominating. My issue was it felt very primary right now. Not a lot of evolution on the palette or multiple flavors interacting together. I suspect with some age that could change and I'd hope it would, but I'm not familiar enough with champagne to really know. So my 'I like it' is really based on a hunch that this can move into a secondary and tertiary place with another 15+ years.
Deliciously crisp with green apple crunch and some patisserie notes. It is gently forward of fruit and has a lovely creamy texture in the mouth and a fine dry finish.
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Pale green color. Very complex and noticeably autolytic nose with nuanced aromas of roasted nuts, toasted bread, ripe citrus fruits, some syrupy sweetness, a little bit of floral character and a hint of bruised Granny Smith apple. Very elegant and attractive aroma. The wine is obviously very ripe, rich and quite expansive on the palate with some noticeable sense of weight - a lot more than in vintage 2006, for example. There are complex flavors of toasty autolysis, tart green apples, chalky minerality, some ripe citrus fruit tones, a little bit of almonds and a hint of developed peanut butter character. The moderately high acidity lends good structure and some freshness to the wine, but the ripe, juicy fruit softens down the brightest, crunchy cut. The mousse feels very soft and smooth. The finish is pretty long and complex with nuanced, autolytic flavors of toast and brioche, chalky minerality, ripe citrus fruits, some baked apple, a little bit of lemon marmalade and a hint of oxidative nutt character.
An impressively complex, ripe and somewhat weighty Prestige Cuvée that shows some noticeable sense of gravitas, quite sweeter-toned fruit and lovely autolytic character. Compared to the vintage 2006, this one seems heftier, more ripe in fruit and a bit softer in character. The difference is rather small, but noticeable enough to make the 2006 feel better suited for my taste. This is definitely good and most likely it will get even better with some years (well, probably more than a decade) in a cellar, but I doubt this'll be as long-lived a vintage as the best vintages of Cristal.
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4/27/2024 - cristalmania0813 wrote: 92 Points
오픈 4시간 뒤에도 산미가득
아직 너무 어리다. 내일 마시면 좀 나아질려나?
물론 바디감과 피니쉬는 너무 좋다
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4/25/2024 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Yellow color - Beautiful nose of cream and brioche. Flavors of baked apples, a slight spice and a lovely creaminess. Drinking beautifully right now!
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4/16/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Brought by the ever generous MN—because what do ever generous people do? They bring wine to wine tastings!—to the kinda crazy Abreu tasting. I’ve only had one other Cristal, the ‘13, 2x, and this was a fairly different animal than what I remembered, more red and green apples and butterscotch, along with light florals and river rocks, less tart citrus, also definitely less oxidative than the Bond-Harlan Krugs. I don’t know how much of that is the respective vintages, how much the different amount of time they’d spent in bottles (or even if my perception is correct, because, as I’ve written elsewhere, I’m less confident in my champs than still wine critiquing skills. This tastes fuller and more mature for sure, as if it’s mid to late drinking window where the ‘13 was clearly at the dawn, but with the (relative) downside of a bit less frame, persistence and intensity. It’s still near the high water mark of bubbles I’ve had, would welcome drinking it anytime, anywhere, with just about anything(although my usual non-imaginative pairings of shellfish or dessert would come first to mind, and it would have shone with the night’s sushi more than the CdC did) or nothing at all. MN, thank you, thank you, thank you, again. 96+
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3/1/2024 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 96 Points
3rd tasting.
Pronoucned nose intensity with notes of toast, yeasty, bread, baked red apple, mineral. High acidity. Drinking at its peak now.
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1/6/2024 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was really nice. Baked apple, licorice toast with a touch of marzipan. Great mouthfeel and finish. Really nice cut. Bueatiful wine that is in its prime window. Enjoyed this much more that the one I opened several years ago.
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12/26/2023 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 96 Points
blind
Beautifully elegant and with a lot of density. Maybe the best 2007 I've ever had. Crystal clear, not too sweet. Not far away from his peak. I would drink it now or the next 5 years. 95-96
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12/24/2023 - BordeauxBoy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine. Clear orchard fruit but no brioche or nuttiness I’d normally associate with aged champagne. Years to go.
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12/22/2023 - BradE wrote:
This continues to drink well. A very nice vintage for Cristal and a champagne to keep in rotation.
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12/9/2023 - rnellans wrote: 95 Points
Apples, citrus. Quite fresh and delicious.
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11/24/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Friendsgiving Dinner (Schur House - Riverwoods IL): Walkaround tasting. Good weight, length, and balance with plenty of apple and some lemon. Very good now, but not a vintage for the back of the cellar.
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11/23/2023 - starkravingmad wrote: 99 Points
crisp, green apple flavor, followed with a hint of caramel / butterscotch, peach and apricot. outstanding
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11/11/2023 - EM_MB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely wine in a weak vintage. Probably not one to lay down for the long haul; best enjoyed now.
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11/4/2023 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened at Caprice in HK. P&P and enjoyed over dinner.
Weak vintage Cristal, but in a good spot right now. Very fresh and pure, but some more buttery and toasty notes starting to come through. Not very oxidative. Exactly what I expect and love from Cristal.
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7/22/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
So, so young. Bright and over time in the glass quite delicious. Awesome to drink now but can wait a couple of years.
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3/30/2023 - acyso wrote: flawed
Olive Garden Party (Cristal vertical) (Chicago, IL): Corked.
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3/27/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious.
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1/28/2023 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great showing for this vintage. Superb intensity and high-acid but the fruit is there to match for now. The finish is not as palate-staining as the '08 but the vibrancy and freshness are fabulous. I would enjoy this soon in case the fruit fades before the structure and acidity.
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12/26/2022 - Vinum Deorum wrote: 92 Points
Magnum. Balanced, creamy, reasonnably long, but rather ordinary. Overall a nice champagne, but a weak cristal.
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12/17/2022 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Holiday Champagne Gala (Park Ridge Country Club): Walkaround tasting. Fun and easy with good substance. Lots of lemon, lots of apple. Drinking well now.
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12/11/2022 - Rani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of brioche and ripe stone fruit. Explosive on the mouth with huge concentration and zest, but lacking a bit of mineral structure that I would expect.
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12/11/2022 - rmh66 wrote: 93 Points
PnP, though this continued to expand and gain creaminess over an hour. Green apple, raw quince, lemon, stone fruit, bread, earth, chalk, and flowers on the nose. Stone fruit, apples, lemon, pear, yeast, and minerals on the palate. High, but mouthwatering acidity, medium body, long finish. Maybe not the most complex Cristal, but elegant, refreshing, and long.
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11/11/2022 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
Refreshingly light, good bubbles, not over the top but very good for the vintage. Enjoy, drink now+5 years.
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8/31/2022 - NewportP Likes this wine: 94 Points
I let it get a good bit of air, there was a loquat ripeness variation perfection , fantastic chalked breadiness mixed with nectarine and grapefruit. The best sips were when the yellow fruit was in perfect check , suggesting to me that perhaps I wish I had a case to explore over the next twenty years. No regret though now , only pleasure.
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8/13/2022 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Crisp, quaffable.
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6/26/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Light gold color. Small glass over 20 minutes plus. Well this was really driven today, tension and minerality with a lot of chalky definition and dry extract followed by a mix of yellow and green fruits. Less toast and nuttiness this time around. Impressive.
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6/24/2022 - chablis28 wrote: 97 Points
Loved a pour at Lonny's & Kim's 40th Anni party. Marvelous champagne, in every way. A world class head turner with exceptional class, lift & depth. Only problem, while its worth every penny, today's tariffs far exceed my recent retiree budget. Should be on anyone's bucket list if you haven't tasted one yet! Thanks Kevin!! 97+
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6/4/2022 - BradE wrote:
2007 Cristal outperforms it’s modest vintage expectations. Good, not great, but very approachable.
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5/19/2022 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
Another year around the sun-Birthday #42 (Daisies and Pops for Champagne-Chicago, IL): The nose is elegant, polished, and deep with tones of apples, quince, pears, nectarines, toast, creams, vanilla beans, cake frosting, baking spices, jasmine, yellow flowers, and some biscuits. This shows off very good depth and class with a seamlessness that just allows you to get lost in it. The Medium bodied feel is so balanced and elegant with tart, high acidity. This is drinking perfectly right now. This can certainly age for years to come, but it just now comes down to personal taste as to how mature one wants their champagne.
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4/16/2022 - LIE-user Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Rather disappointing. Surprisingly, it’s more or less one dimensional. I never have been a big Cristal lover, but this one was my worst Cristal so far. As there remain quite some more bottles down in the cellar, I really hope, time will do this one a favor. I stay optimistic and will try the next one in 3-4 years.
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4/15/2022 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Brought to share with friends over dinner and conversation.
This has a lot of flair with great acids, saline and mineral backbone. Fruit leans a little stone and apple fruit but the brioche nicely balances that. Really I mean I REALLY like the acid on this. Striking.
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4/15/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Vicki's Celebration Dinner (James & Carrie's, Mpls): Light gold color. Drank a glass plus over 3 hours. This has a lovely, crystalline nose dominated by ocean breezes, pear, moderately toasted, biscuit and cashew cream. The palate is poised and focused; an elegant Cristal. Pear panna cotta, tart green apple, nutty, toast, yeast, biscuit, and a touch of apple peel later. There's plenty of fruit here now and the acidity keeps it lively. More to come. 93+ to 94pts.
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4/4/2022 - Vinsant Likes this wine:
Popped this for our Anniversary lunch at Brasserie 4. Brioche toast and yeast, lemony goodness, apple, with great acids. Killed with oysters and a nice match with moules frites. Wife had potatoe leek soup and brown buttered fish that paired well with the wine as well. Was lucky enough to get a few glasses of the 09 later at a party, delish as well, but think I prefer the 07 at this time.
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2/12/2022 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pronoucned nose intensity with notes of toast, yeasty, bread, baked red apple, mineral. High acidity. Very enjoyable.
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2/6/2022 - J+B_Wines Likes this wine: 96 Points
Phenomenal loved up to all my expectations and the hype surrounding this legendary wine
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2/1/2022 - Topper wrote: 93 Points
This wine is developing nicely and I have hope for improvement in the future. a Few years ago, this was less substantial but it is growing into itself with increasing richness, if not the lightness and precision of the 06. Definitely worth drinking but there may be better champagnes for less money.
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1/1/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine: 93 Points
Creamy with tastes of brioche and a kiss of lemon. A solid champagne, but hard to justify the QPR on this bubbly.
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1/1/2022 - DesMarteau wrote: 91 Points
I'm not a champagne fan...frankly I think Lemarco Prosecco is as good as any champagne I've ever had. needs 10 mins to blow off sour funk....thick, apple, pear, bubbly...not worth $215 in my book...but consider the taster's bias!
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12/31/2021 - RRMoa Likes this wine: 97 Points
Small bubbles in the mouth, great taste. Probably the best champagne made!
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12/31/2021 - Miceri Likes this wine: 94 Points
Light yellow; really lots of concentrated taste, citrus, quite some acidity, lots of mousse; long aftertaste
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12/24/2021 - fc1910 wrote: 93 Points
Fine mousse in the glas, light golden coloured,
the nose full of baked ripe apples, pears and toasted bread aromas, nutty
a really mouth filling Champagne, good weight, toast, candied fruit, nuts, although with elegant flow over the midpalate, firm and very balanced showing tonight, all completed by the supporting lively acid, very good length here again,
in its beginning prime, opens up with more aeration in the glass, will hold another decade in your cellar, ***(*+?), around 93, 94
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11/25/2021 - jviz wrote: 95 Points
I thought this showed fabulously well and while it may continue to evolve, seemed ready enough for pleasure now. Light gold in the glass, with fine mousse, it was aromatically open with lemon meringue pie, puff paste, and dehydrated green apple. Fabulous concentration and length. I wouldn’t hesitate to open one if you’re holding.
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11/18/2021 - jmoon Likes this wine: 97 Points
Stunningly good. Wonderfully fresh, deep and chalky fruit. Long fresh and very satisfying. Improved after half hour.
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10/29/2021 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pronounced nose intensity with notes of baked apple, bread, toast. High acidity and medium+ body. Long finish. Crisp and fresh. Just enter drinking window, very enjoyable.
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10/27/2021 - soyhead wrote:
Small pour- quite vinous , haven’t been the biggest Cristal fan in the past but I must say this impressed me with its potency and fruit. Good acidity.
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10/10/2021 - camben wrote:
Rich with depth
Elegant
While big and rich
Fantastic
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10/10/2021 - nmichaud1 Likes this wine:
C’est une bombe de puissance. Encore dans un bloc, mérite un autre facile 5 à 8 ans de cave pour trouver un bel équilibre. M’a fait beaucoup penser à Krug il y a quelques années. Très bon, mais pas encore en place pour l’apprécier à sa juste valeure.
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10/1/2021 - MikeHuman Likes this wine: 98 Points
the sign of a change in style, quite electrical on the palate, great salinity, fantastic wine. The right balance between richness and freshness.
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9/1/2021 - BrunelloBob wrote: 94 Points
Green apple, lemon, lime, hint of bread. Excellent acidity = length. Underrated vintage, wish I had more
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8/24/2021 - BrionHammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fine mousse. Good length and better than expected by this vintage. Showing a little age in a good way.
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5/29/2021 - cch1966 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Notes of Lemon, apple, bread and minerality. Nice mousse. Well balanced and with a long finish.
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3/20/2021 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just pnp another sparkler right away,
you should not wait for Christmas, birthday or fiesta grande, just grab this one if you are in a good mood, maybe some friends are with you......,
very intense nose, bread crust and pear and apple fruit,
on the palate showing warm bread, white toasted bread crust, baked still warm apples, and chalk, loads of mineral chalk, candied fruit and nuts, all kind of nuts, walnut very predominant, but most impressing is this mineral core, a bottle to chew on again, it is all about lightness and elegance, long finish with intense lively acid, very good with a decent aeration right now, but will hold easily another decade, ***(*+?), around 93, 94(+) potential
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3/17/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 94 Points
From Magnum. In a nice spot. Clean and lean with nutty notes. Zippy citrus lemon with broad fruit in a zingy style. Good complexity keeps me coming back for another taste. Shows breed and was a crowd favorite.
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2/25/2021 - rnellans wrote: 94 Points
Recently had the '08 and '12. This not as good as the '08, but comparable to the '12 imo. Energetic, mineral, some brioche. Good acidity and length. I think it has aging potential.
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1/1/2021 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 91 Points
Vibrant and energetic but just missing the kind of richness I like. An early drinking vintage. Still very fun to drink. 91+
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1/1/2021 - jimcopland wrote: 94 Points
Lemon, fresh. Depth. Tastes young. Lacks the richness of 90 Salon. But likely to improve.
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12/5/2020 - dkwins Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding all around. Appealing yellow color, youthful, but elegant bubbles and a nutty complement to well balanced rich fruit.
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10/27/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cristal is definitely starting to grow on me. Quite a nutty and savoury nose. Easy drinking and good to drink now. Definitely much more mature than the 2008.
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10/22/2020 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Similar to my 12/27/2019 note. Super wine, especially for the vintage.
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10/18/2020 - StainedGlass Likes this wine: 94 Points
Well-balanced, tight acidity, lemon, almond, chalk, refreshing minerality. Rich yet elegant. Excellent now but still on the upswing. 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir.
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9/30/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Light gold color. Split bottle over 2.5 hours. This has an ultra fine bead with a delicate mousse. The nose has a refreshingly brisk sea air minerality, green apple, yeast, ginger, apple crisp, lightly floral, with almond and sweet cream butter hints. The palate is fairly consistent with my last note. I don't find this heavy or really full bodied. I'd call this elegant and refined in style even as it takes on a little more weight over time. The palate is sleek and impeccably balanced, drawing on the crisp green apples, lemon and citrus fruit to complement the perfectly toned chalk minerality; lightly toasted, nutty, with the same brightness and fresh ocean minerals coming through as the nose. There is some drive here and a light creaminess to the mousse as well. More reminescent of Comte Champagne in style currently. Wonderful; with a sense of more to come. 94+ to 95pts.
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9/18/2020 - Knight of Wine wrote: 93 Points
Excellent! Fresh and vibrant with notes of candied ginger and tangerine. Wonderful from start to finish.
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3/3/2020 - Jozefs Likes this wine: 93 Points
Better with some breathing, so no need to hurry.
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1/9/2020 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured out of a magnum. This is in a great spot and drinking beautifully! Long life ahead
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12/31/2019 - MLwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great champagne that improved considerably with an hour or two of air.
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12/31/2019 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Starting the last day of this year with a hopefully reference champagne blend, not the very best vintage, but more important for great vinification is soil and producer, pnp, very intense bubbles in the glass, the nose caramel, biscuits some ripe apples, persistent, rich in fruit, candied though, mouthfilling, lively balanced acidity to add the great freshness, tried this bottle in Riedel Sommelier Champagne glasses and to compare it in bigger Gabriel glasses, normally I do prefer bigger glasses for Champagne to get the flavours open better, but today the Champagne glass is the better choice, more density, deep rich flavours, more focused, layered lingering finish, finesse rules, great bottle today and again, but no need to finish bottles from this vintage, will easily improve over the next decade+, ***(*-*****), 94-96-?
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12/27/2019 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Agree with Vinous on this one... considering the vintage, this really knocks it out of the park. Excellent fruit and acidity, a good richness that makes it easy to drink now.
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10/4/2019 - asgerG wrote: 94 Points
Racy intense but still elegant. No hurry in fact it will gain from a couple of years cellaring
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9/30/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 96 Points
MW Prestige Cuvees Champagne Panel Tasting, nose of spring flowers, shy nose, slate, and citrus, big body, intense fruit, mouth filling fruit, needs 5 years to peak, elegant, almost creamy texture, long finish, 5 grams dosage, 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay.
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9/30/2019 - BradE wrote:
A decent bottle, and we liked it.
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8/28/2019 - Purple Tooth wrote: 94 Points
This is fully mature and ready. Perfect balance between complexity, acidity, and extreme carbonation (being the most interesting of the 3 components)...Drink or Hold
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8/27/2019 - vindictive wrote:
a pity this is so expensive - I would have it more often for its freshness. It is a lovely, crisp champagne, very clean and refreshing. Very pleasing style. None of the complexity of a grower champagne
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8/21/2019 - Benj wrote: 93 Points
Unripe pear, white flowers, nice yeast balance, fine mousse, good weight but clean and precise. Finishes long. Lovely stuff.
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8/3/2019 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
First bottle of Cristal; nose is very good with ripe orchard fruits, hints of lemon and peach blossom, brioche, a bit of sweet spice, and jasmine. The palate has lovely breadth and good depth with very good energy. The finish leaves a lingering note of an apple pastry. Really tasty though I must say for the price there are plenty of Champagnes that are competitive at lower cost.
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7/26/2019 - Messorio wrote: 91 Points
Blind: Usually like cristal but this one was a bit disappointing. Fresh, but lacks of depth, short, never would have guessed a champagner in this price range. Bottle was in perfect condition.
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7/15/2019 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Biondi-Santi Riserva wine dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay. From a magnum, this was lipsmackingly delicious - really quite surprisingly so given how young it is. Symptomatic of the modern Cristal style I suppose - advanced, but in a lovely way. It had a really pretty nose, with apple fruit, spice and mineral, with a bit of baked bread aromas on the side. The palate had a nice richness to it, with ripe lemons and red apples carried on a stream of snappy acidity, with a lovely mineral undertow beneath that. There was a gorgeous shape and poise on the wine, with a lovely pull of insistent, linear intensity that led into a lemon zesty finish. Quite wonderful - power and finesse aplenty in a delicious complete package. Wow.
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7/9/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Light gold color. Drank 2 glasses over an hour. Super nose, really expressive out of the glass, acacia blossoms, wispy sea breezes, fresh cut apple and pear, freshly baked bread. On the palate this is elgant and fresh, good presence, yeast, lemon, creamy mousse, apple, sea minerality. Almost drinks like a sparkling Chablis tonight as Gary said. A wonderful bottle and thanks to Gary for sharing this. .
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5/12/2019 - Polindz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful! bold citrus, honey undertones, crisp on the palette. Loved it!
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5/4/2019 - Cote d'Or Likes this wine:
6th Annual Wilson School Auction Tasting (A Wine Adventure): .
Tasted over 30 minutes
-clear yellow, fine mousse
-a bit of yeast and slight quinine
-med+ acidity, fantastic cut and balance, power without weight, complex and sappy yellow fruit
-aromatics tight but just a solid powerful complex gorgeous wine on the palate
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2/9/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typically not a Champagne drinker but always up for the good stuff. PNP at a restaurant for a friends dinner birthday party with 2009 as well (preferred the 2 years of extra bottle age while the 2009 might have a better profile). Firm acidity for 12 years old, nutty, brioche with typical citrus but softer and better blended with a hit of a berry? Beginng to have a creamy texture which I enjoy. Well done. 92-93
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1/10/2019 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Found this bottle in the same shop as the Mormoreto, unbeatable price, here we go again: stunning complex nose, changing every quarter of an hour, hazelnut, walnut, brioche at its best, we were just dreaming of having some foie gras, scallops or sakura srimps with it, this one is all about complexity and superb elegance, ending very long and very convincing, getting better over the whole evening, can be enjoyed from now on but will be better in 3- 5+ years, highly recommended! ***(**), 94- 97+ potential, 94 for today
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12/31/2018 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 98 Points
The greatest champagne I have ever tasted. So crisp and clean and flawless. Beautiful!
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12/29/2018 - wmccone54 wrote: 94 Points
Racy, energetic, light and refreshing with wonderful tart citrus, sour green apple, crunchy red berries, some toast, and very fine bubbles. Perhaps lightly linear and austere to some, but this is still relatively young and likely will change give additional cellaring. High acidity supports a very long, satisfying finish. Excellent!
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12/22/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Holiday Champagne Gala (Park Ridge Country Club): Small glass, brief note. Very fleshy, fun and forward orchard fruits with some berry hints. Very good balance, good weight. Very good now.
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12/4/2018 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Wine Workshop: An evening with Cristal (Atera - 77 Worth Street in NYC): From a magnum. Not a great year for champagne apparently. This wine probably would have been just fine on it's own, but it paled in this company. A bit more oxidized than I would have expected. More toasty. Missing some of that nice crisp fruit that the other wines had. Served very cold and that brought out the acidity more. Not really in the same league although not a bad wine at all.
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10/14/2018 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 91 Points
From magnum. Liked it, didnt love it. Its very good but somewhat linear and one dimensional. Good lemon and toast notes and very refreshing and light. Easy to drink. Lacking complexity and nuance even for a young Champagne.
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10/2/2018 - KenK wrote: 93 Points
Nice nutty elements, nice density & zip good purity. I like it quite a bit. Nice power & flavor.
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5/26/2018 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Young on first opening. Did well with 30 minutes air time. Aciditic, mineral, light. Nose came around at 45 minutes. Superb
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5/14/2018 - manga wrote: 94 Points
Very clean and crisp style. The extended aging en tirage delivered excellent depth of marmite and notes of white chocolate. The balance of this wine is remarkable and precise. Very lithe on the palate. Seems like this is in a good space to drink.
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4/2/2018 - Topper wrote: 93 Points
lighter styled and very precise. Refreshing, yet combines substance with grace. Too easy to drink so one might not give it the attention it deserves before the glass is, once again, empty.
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3/3/2018 - mr_rancho Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wahnsinn!! Brioche, Citrus, Akazienhonig, schöne Perlage. Rund und komplex.
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2/25/2018 - grapenomad wrote: 94 Points
Got a chance to finally have a gulp of this beauty during service. According to the history books, Louis Roederer created Cristal for Tsar Alexander II in 1876, when Russia was the largest export market for many of the famous champagne houses. Alex, who was not very fond of sharing and caring, called up Louis and told him to make a series of transparent cristal bottles with a flat bottom. They would be filled with sweet Champagne and would cause the winery problems after the Russian Revolution as they had unpaid invoices and a stock of sweet wine that no one wanted. Good times. Today the wine is made in a dry style and displays glorious purity. The 2007 had delicious quince, French toast, green apple and lemon zest bursting on the nose. Rich mouthfeel, perfectly soft mousse and thirst-quenching acidity. Complex with a slight saltiness that persists into the aftertaste. A true representation of class and royalty.
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12/11/2017 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mit viel Power und zarter Biskuitnote, ausgeglichen durch die Briochenoten, die aber erst im Abgang hervortreten. 94
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12/9/2017 - Blake Brown Likes this wine:
2007 LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL BRUT- 57% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay; this bottle had bracing acidity almost overwhelmingly so; the nose gave up some mild citrus, most especially lemon; when I tasted it, it reminded me of Cream Soda pop from childhood days with its sweet lemon taste; additionally, some minerals and spicy mild cherry also join in as well as a hit of saline; this had great mouthfeel after getting acclimated to the initial hit of acidity.
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11/9/2017 - DarinC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ripe, rich style of Cristal. Drinks well now. Showed best 2 hours opened on ice.
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10/20/2017 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering – 75 Trotanoy, 07 Roumier BM and 10 Jobard Les Tillets that we all guessed at the Roulot. (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Big scale ripe nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, bake apple, cinnamon, caramel and mineral. Exceptional concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, rich and chewy, generous fine mousse, bright acidity and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish. IMO, Cristal takes a long time to mature. I suspect that this will developed like the 82 or the 90. If you prefer the precision of Salon, this may not be to your liking. Excellent showing.
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8/3/2017 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 94 Points
Leanest and most elegant champagne of the night. Very perfumed nose with powerful plush florals and citrus. Great crisp acidity, super clean and fresh with racy minerality.
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8/2/2017 - gmgrodne Likes this wine: 95 Points
Near perfect. Balanced. Great effervescence.
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7/23/2017 - dagij Likes this wine: 94 Points
It is difficult to be neutral when you drink a wine like this, with all its mythical scorings. But to put it bluntly; this is just a great wine. It´s qualities are more like a good, white burgundy with bubbles, than other champagnes. Straw yellow. Intense aromas of green apples, bergamot, nuts and some yeast. Full bodied, almost sweet fruit resembling apples and citrus. Long and intense aftertaste with clear notes of nuts and minerals (chalk). If anything, this is an intense wine that is really best appreciated with food. Shellfish would be great, and so would any other type of fish (both white and red). It would tackle white meat with grace, and - if aged 5-10 years - would probably be great with mild game.
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5/5/2017 - ews3 wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at large walkaround tasting. red berry fruit, red apple, buttered toast, lemon pudding. quite nice.
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4/16/2017 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 92 Points
For me, the nose was almost nonexistent, others said they could detect honey and stone fruits. It took a good 20 to 30 min of air for the flavors to develop and then it became quite nice and complex. Unfortunately, I had opened a bottle of 02 piper heidsieck rare the night before and the memory of that just blew away this 07 cristal -- not even in the same ballpark and when you factor in that the crystal costs quite a bit more than the piper, it comes out even worse in a comparison of the two. While a good champagne, I would say that the quality - price-ratio is fairly poor for the cristal. 92 --after an hour. I have a couple more bottles of crystal in the cellar, but
I would not buy more based on this one's performance --not worth the premium.
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4/15/2017 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
See previous note.
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4/3/2017 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Hold. Green apple. Lemon. Pear. Toast. Yeast. Sour at first.
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4/2/2017 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fresh and rich with nice apple notes, good concentration with pretty mineral note. Still a baby, but already impressive.
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3/2/2017 - etyc wrote:
RE & Truchot dinner at Jade Palace.
This showed a lot better than the last bottle I had at KT's dinner. Much fresher and doesn't come across and sweet/flabby like the last one.
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3/2/2017 - justburg wrote: 90 Points
Engel and Truchot dinner at Jade Palace. Lovely start to the evening. Bright gold. Lovely nose of lemon, Chinese pear, green apples, flint, wet grass. Laser like precision on the palate, fantastic balance of young yellow fruit and searing acidity. Definitely got better as the wine warmed up in the glass. Good concentration and length. Impressive!
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2/4/2017 - LIE-user wrote: 92 Points
Right now rather disappointing as it needs more time. In 5 years or so this will show its style.
If planning to open a young cristal, I´d recommend the 2009. It is less complex but already ready to drink.
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1/22/2017 - PacoHigon Does not like this wine:
<Espumosos del Mundo nº 4> Algo decepcionante esta botella de Cristal, que comenzó ligeramente sucia y mantuvo ese carácter durante toda la cata. Algún apunte salino, bastantes toques de "queso azul", algo de flor blanca... Mejor en boca, con una acidez notable, buena integración del carbónico, dando cremosidad al paso, y bastante persistencia. Quisiera pensar que le falta tiempo en botella, o que la botella estaba defectuosa, porque en conjunto me pareció algo falto de armonía.
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1/15/2017 - jsna Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lemon cream nose, perfect bite, crisp, vibrant bubbles, neat(clean) finish but a bit short. Wonderful bottle, still young, exciting future.
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1/13/2017 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
2017 Sella Ronda Ski Trip; 1/12/2017-1/15/2017 (Alta Badia, Italy): Having tried this a few years ago and rated 93 and full of promise we were to be honest a bit underwhelmed with this wine. We expected a lot more, more depth more complexity. Maybe we are being a bit too aggressive with the wine but really for the pedigree and price we wanted more.
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1/1/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
New Year's Day Champagne Celebration (Brad & Marcia's Place, St. Paul, MN): What a nice surprise that Brad had opened this. Always a joy to drink this, and to have it twice in a short span....hey now! Still youthful and going to get significantly better with just another couple years. I suspect. 93(+)pts.
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1/1/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
This seemed a bit reserved tonight but still a beautiful glass of wine I'll happily drink anytime and appreciate brad opening!
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1/1/2017 - Jimaronson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big apple, with lemon, and pear, and simple toast and yeast. The champagne was light and delicate. Very feminine and soft. Some might find it elegant and understated. Small tiny bubbles. I prefer a more concentrated drink. The champagne was much better after an hour. It was nice to drink and best for those who prefer a more delicate style. We drank it on New Years which did not quite match the mood of the evening.
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12/18/2016 - kostaslonis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Louis Roederer Masterclass (Afros & Fisalides Wine Fair, Grande Bretagne Hotel): 58% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay, 15% of the wine was fermented in oak barrels with weekly battonage, no malolactic, grapes from the 10 best crus of Roederer, sur lies for 60 months, and 6 more months extra maturation after the disgorgement, dosage 9,5 gr/lt
Very decadent nose, ripe fruit, brioche and nutty flavors, buttery. The palate copies the nose showing ripe fruit again, great body and creamy texture, it shows some aged nuances.
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12/17/2016 - wineordeath Likes this wine: 94 Points
Crystal Wine Champagne Tasting: Soft, floral nose with faint hints of cherry. Very pretty and delicate. Builds depth in the glass adding lees. Good weight and richness on the palate, but not particularly rich by Cristal standards. Lip smacking. Good length.
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12/17/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): First time trying this vintage. Apple and pear with some lemon tart, followed by intriguing background berry hints. Seems more Chardonnay driven than typical Cristal, with lots of vibrant energy. Excellent mouth feel and textures.
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12/11/2016 - shadow wrote: 96 Points
Cristal, party wine, strip club wine, not one that creates deep thoughts.
First sip, pleasant but faint flavors, the pleasure is in the way it goes down.
Where some wines are chewie, some are powerful, this girl goes down like a breath of cool air.
Perfect paring would be a lap dance and a Marlboro.
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12/9/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (I Nonni, St. Paul, MN): Light gold color. Drank 1+ glass over an hour. I'd been looking forward to trying this since missing a Roederer tasting a week earlier where it was being poured. Probably a bit too cold initially out of my bag, but as it warmed a bit I found it developing nicely. Probably still too young, but giving a great deal of pleasure already. Lively, lovely, lemon, lemon curd, light ginger, toast, hints of almond, and a long finish. This shows grace and good intensity, and it isn't heavy at all. I would expect this will take on more weight over time. I'll lay off opening anymore for a couple years.
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12/9/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
2007 is 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir. For me this felt slightly more austere / less rich than the 2002 that I'm most familiar with. It has stunning energy, grand cru intensity, pristine fruit, focused minerality and acidity. A special wine as always! Many thanks to R&Rler for bringing this to our annual holiday party.
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11/26/2016 - mveller Likes this wine: 94 Points
Elegance........Lemon, toast (or rugbrød).....I would buy more bottles.....
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10/9/2016 - bonniewai@waiconnor.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
Green apple, lemon, grapefruit with a hint of tropical fruit and Honey. Very bright acidity and good minerality. This bottle was more mature than the prior bottles we had in the past few months.
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10/7/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
GMs - Kevin Farewell @ GC: Cherry, lemom, floral, pear and toasty biscuit character. Rich and full bodied on the palate, the acidity is high enough to deflect much of the fruit power and focus it decently. Feels open already.
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10/7/2016 - BSA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Got to taste this again, this time accross two days. Compared to the bottle some days ago it was less in focus and sync upon opening. Perhaps due to higher temp. At least it was not near our first bottle. On day two it was back in shape and gave really lovely drinking. Tough generally not my preference, this wine should be had more chilled at the moment. 92p is for days two.
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10/4/2016 - AtoZ wrote:
This came of as big and sweet to me. Elegant mousse. Didn't scream "buy" to me.
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10/4/2016 - BSA Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is all about elegance and superb balance. Definitely higher on chardonnay than in many vintages but in this instance that translates into more to like. Lovely. 93-95
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9/15/2016 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
Pale lemon yellow color. Very complex and autolytic nose with aromas of ripe citrus fruits, sweet golden apples, some mineral stone dust notes, a little bit of smoke, light apple cobbler tones and a developed hint of caramel. The wine is very ripe, toasty and quite rich on the palate with somewhat weighty mouthfeel and complex flavors of ripe, sweet-toned citrus fruits, roasted nuts, marzipan, some chalky minerality, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, light vanilla cream tones, a hint of peanut butter and an autolytic touch of toasted bread. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity - high enough to keep the wine in balance, but not really enough to lend it good freshness and that racy quality typical of the best vintages of Cristal. The finish is long, ripe and juicy with complex flavors of autolytic toast, nutty complexity, sweet-toned citrus fruits, lemon marmalade, a little bit of marzipan and a hint of caramel.
A wonderfully complex, delicious and beautifully toasty effort, but lacks the verve, precision and crisp acidity of the better vintages of Cristal. A very impressive Champagne in its own right, but not among the best Cristals I've tasted. Might gain some additional complexity with age, but doesn't feel like a vintage you'd want to age extensively.
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9/11/2016 - BrunelloBob wrote: 92 Points
Great complexity
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9/10/2016 - Markus IWC wrote: 94 Points
World class champagne, citrus, strawberries, yeast, brioche, distinct edges, amazing acidity, elegant but still in its infancy.
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9/8/2016 - Ramberg wrote: 91 Points
Brief tasting note.
Nose with tropical fruits and some green apples, rubber, smoke, gunpowder & oyster shells.
Palate with green apples (somewhat under ripe) quite high acidity and a bit short & dull.
Not up to usual Cristal level in this vintage, at least not at this point.
(91 – 92+)
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9/2/2016 - justburg wrote: 89 Points
Sushi at Matsuya Sushi Bar. Bright gold, very primary. This champagne was way too young, but provided lots of drinking pleasure with the white fish sushi. Green apple, lemon, lime, Chinese pear with a touch of white mushroom and soda. There was good concentration of fresh fruit on the palate, with a long sweet finish. Good wine.
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8/27/2016 - BradE wrote:
This was my first crack at the 07 Cristal, and this bottle wasn't great. Hopefully it was just the bottle, since the critics and CT give it rave reviews. Will try again.
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8/25/2016 - RolfT Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was surprisingly open for business already compared to the 2006 when it was newly released. For my palate though, this needs at least 10 years to mature. 93+ potential.
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7/22/2016 - jjjj7676 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was a lovely bottle of Cristal. There was immense power within the wine that makes me sense this would benefit from significant ageing. However, the freshness was very very pleasant. I sensed a solid core of flavour that made this very enjoyable, One for the future but will not disappoint now.
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5/31/2016 - morpheusrising Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit young. Lots of tropical and citrus on the nose, but the yeast is a little reserved and not quite up to par. Palette was great, lots of lemon and lanolin, a little green apple, and just a bit of honey. Again, the yeast was not quite there but the overall creaminess of this was wonderful. With the pronounced lemon quality, really is a saber in whipped cream.
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5/22/2016 - rwstorer wrote: 90 Points
- Light gold color with medium pearls and aromas of acetic acid, apple and honey. It's unbalanced with a light/medium body.
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5/21/2016 - wineordeath Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very rich, powdered sugar, apple, faint lemon. Less rich on the palate, but still mouth filling and satisfying.
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5/3/2016 - GTFreek wrote:
End of a bottle, but underwhelming. Nice complexity but not up to the reputation or price.
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4/27/2016 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Munskänkarna Göteborg, Champagne-class session 2, flight 2.
Restrained nose, with a chemical hint. Otherwise a lot of creamy notes, chocolate, apple. On the palate it is clear this wine still needs a lot of time to develop, it is hard and unforgiving. Lets this one sleep in order for it to improve and develop.
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4/23/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had it together with Comtes de Champagne 2005 and Louise 2004 at Restaurant Flo in Reims. For me the 2nd best after Louise 2004. But it shows again these bottles need time. For me all too young and too fresh.
Elegant, some citrus and Brioche, but missing the power of a prestige cuvee, very precise acidity but my Cristal problem, it is too reluctant, only 96 and 96 Rose of this Iconic wine were tremendous. 92-93
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3/18/2016 - Poussin Likes this wine: 94 Points
On opening the nose shows sweet red apples, oven-fresh patisserie - perhaps even a note of marzipan. With air, further notes of lightly stewed orchard fruits emerge. In the mouth, the wine offers crisp apple fruit, bold acidity and an impressively rich midpalate. You can really sense the class and potential here. Very impressive.
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3/13/2016 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 94 Points
A baby Cristal as a perfect companion with the creme brulée. Pinot notes dominate, powerful in your face Champagne. Still young but already very accessible.
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2/29/2016 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 95 Points
Visiting Louis Roederer: Well, everyone knows the origin of this cuvee, dating back to Tsar Alexander II who asked Louis Roederer back in the later 19th century to make him an "exclusive" wine. The best parcels were selected back then to do so, the best are used today as well: mainly from old vines from grand cru vineyards owned by Roederer and often cultivated according to biodynamic principles and vinified parcel by parcel. 2007 was a "fresh" vintage, no malolactic fermentation however, with 9.5 grams of residual sugar. Aged for six years in bottle before disgorging. An amazing balance of power and precision, this blend of around 58-42 Pinot Noir-Chardonnay, because the flavors and aromatics are so much more vivid than the other cuvees I tried on my visit to Roederer. White stone fruits, vibrant lemon aspects, meadow field freshness, mid palate concentration, ultra fine tickling bubbles, a long finished marked by subtle almond notes. Yes, this is expensive, but I see that it is superior to the others. If you have the cash, go for it.
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2/19/2016 - LIE-user wrote: 93 Points
Good stuff. Nice and lovely fruit with acidity. Very salty somehow.
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1/29/2016 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lunch with 2012 and 2013 Fourrier CSJ and Griotte, 95 Raveneau Blanchot, 05 Leflaive Chevalier and more (Black Salt, Washington DC): At it's best, Cristal is a slutty wine and this was no exception. The wine is drenched in sweet apple flavor balanced by ample acids. The texture is delightful and coats the palate while fine bubbles add refreshment.
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1/15/2016 - Sundbyberg wrote: 94 Points
Initially quite closed, with the typical Roederer citrus notes, but after ca 30 minutes in the glass this tastes apples and brioche and shows some depth. No complexity to speak of, however.
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1/13/2016 - AHVinoFile Likes this wine: 93 Points
[IWFS-Vic DRC Montrachet, Various RSV & d'Yquem Dinner at Vue de Monde] Pale straw color; fine mousse & persistent minuscule beads. Brioche nose above white peach, green apple bouquet with cues of mineral, white flowers, apricot, quince, grapefruit, lemon zest, poached pear, almond meal, spice & cream. About medium weight, intense, buoyant & fresh with intricate fruit flavors & complex nuances fully assimilated into a continuum of effervescent juice, and delicately balanced by fresh acidity with enhanced harmony & focus. Long zesty finish.
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1/7/2016 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
2 very consistent bottles on the day.
Bright, fresh full of energy and albeit young not difficult (in a way that DP is), full of character and elegance. Nice structure and well balanced too and really it can only but get better from here on. More mineral than ripe at this stage but the world is its oyster. 93 for now from us.
Max celebration points too.
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12/21/2015 - Pacalet Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very fresh and crisp with citrus fruit and green apple, yeasty with fine mousse and very fresh acidity.
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12/19/2015 - swapdoc wrote:
Zachys Champagne Extravaganza: Showing the signature effervescent yet packed energetic mousse, smallest bubbles of any champagne I know. A textural delight, yet more closed aromatically than some of its peers. Missing the floral complexity now. Good.
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12/19/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 93 Points
Champagne - 100 Vintage and NV Champagne; 12/15/2015-12/15/2020: During a vintage Champagne tasting at a Merchant. Fresh nose of apple, quince with a hint of vanilla, reminding me of a Chardonnay where the ripeness has really been pushed. Very little of the typical mineral and yeast notes in this Champagne. So, if you prefer the classic style this will not be your first choice. Finishes aromatic, with a strong apple cider note.
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12/10/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
My first experience with Cristal in awhile. Drank at a tasting that Sherry Lehmann was putting on in the city next to the regular Brut and the 2006 Brut Nature. This was clearly the star of the show, but more based on a guess I'm making on potential than real 'drink today'. I am a fan of champagnes that can best be described as cashmere and this certainly had that. The bubbles were so fine one hardly noticed them at all. And it had some of the characteristics that I associate with 1990 champagne - more of a fruitiness, toast in balance with other flavors versus dominating. My issue was it felt very primary right now. Not a lot of evolution on the palette or multiple flavors interacting together. I suspect with some age that could change and I'd hope it would, but I'm not familiar enough with champagne to really know. So my 'I like it' is really based on a hunch that this can move into a secondary and tertiary place with another 15+ years.
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11/4/2015 - yofog wrote:
Super classy and crunchy. Each element is well-developed and each is precise and balanced. Really good.
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10/2/2015 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Deliciously crisp with green apple crunch and some patisserie notes. It is gently forward of fruit and has a lovely creamy texture in the mouth and a fine dry finish.
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9/17/2015 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
Pale green color. Very complex and noticeably autolytic nose with nuanced aromas of roasted nuts, toasted bread, ripe citrus fruits, some syrupy sweetness, a little bit of floral character and a hint of bruised Granny Smith apple. Very elegant and attractive aroma. The wine is obviously very ripe, rich and quite expansive on the palate with some noticeable sense of weight - a lot more than in vintage 2006, for example. There are complex flavors of toasty autolysis, tart green apples, chalky minerality, some ripe citrus fruit tones, a little bit of almonds and a hint of developed peanut butter character. The moderately high acidity lends good structure and some freshness to the wine, but the ripe, juicy fruit softens down the brightest, crunchy cut. The mousse feels very soft and smooth. The finish is pretty long and complex with nuanced, autolytic flavors of toast and brioche, chalky minerality, ripe citrus fruits, some baked apple, a little bit of lemon marmalade and a hint of oxidative nutt character.
An impressively complex, ripe and somewhat weighty Prestige Cuvée that shows some noticeable sense of gravitas, quite sweeter-toned fruit and lovely autolytic character. Compared to the vintage 2006, this one seems heftier, more ripe in fruit and a bit softer in character. The difference is rather small, but noticeable enough to make the 2006 feel better suited for my taste. This is definitely good and most likely it will get even better with some years (well, probably more than a decade) in a cellar, but I doubt this'll be as long-lived a vintage as the best vintages of Cristal.
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