2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne (Pre-arrival)

James Suckling 100 – “One of the masterpieces of this exceptional vintage (the last that was this cool). Ravishing nose of Amalfi lemon and white peach with hints of white chocolate, chamomile and oyster shell. Super-elegant and tightly structured with a hint of creaminess on the mid-palate adding tension. Very long steely finish carried by the linear mineral acidity. A cuvée of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, part of which (unusually for Cristal) underwent malolactic fermentation. Getting very scarce on the secondary market, partly because of the great aging potential! Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink or hold.”

Vinous 99 – “The 2008 Cristal is just starting to open and into its first plateau of what is likely to be a very long drinking window. Bright and intensely saline, with terrific depth, Cristal shows everything that makes this vintage so appealing, namely a captivating mix of fruit intensity and bright, piercing acids. As alluring as the 2008 is today, it also needs time to be at its very best. Roederer launched the more open 2009 ahead of the 2008, which means the 2008 saw ten years on the lees, quite a bit longer than most vintages, all of which it needed. The 2008 seems to presage a new era at Roederer in which the wines have been consistently brilliant. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2018 (Drink between 2023-2050).”

Wine Advocate 98 – “Disgorged in September 2017 with 7.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Cristal was produced from 37 of the 45 parcels that are candidates for inclusion in this cuvée—some 40% of which were farmed organically back in 2008—and it’s a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The finest young Cristal in decades, the wine wafts from the glass with a pure and vibrant bouquet of crisp orchard fruit, clear honey, warm brioche, citrus zest and white flowers. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, intense and incisive, with superb concentration, racy acids and a long, searingly chalky finish. Pristinely balanced, there are some 500,000 bottles of this legend-in-the-making.”

Wine Spectator 97 – “There’s a sense of focus and vibrancy to the overall structure, while the palate is all grace and charm. A fine, lacy texture carries a tapestry of ripe white cherry, toast point, blood orange zest, honey and ground ginger notes, with a minerally, mouthwatering finish. A stunning Champagne with a long future ahead of it. Drink now through 2033.”