Louis Roederer - Cristal Rosé 2014 [presentbox]

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Roederer's 2014 Cristal Rosé has turned out beautifully, unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, almonds, citrus fruit and red berries mingled with notions of white flowers and wet chalk. Full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a layered core of fruit and a pillowy mousse, it's deep, racy and electric, concluding with a long, mineral finish. Comparatively open out of the gates, it's no slight to the 2014's seriousness to say that it will drink well while its 2013 counterpart sleeps in the cellar. Deriving from just a handful of the over 39 blocks that inform the regular Cristal 2014, I suspect that its origins have even more to do with the extra dimension it possesses above and beyond its white counterpart than the subtle infusion of Pinot Noir phenolics that give it its delicate pink hue.

As I've written before, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon never seems to rest on his laurels. Roederer is already one of the region's leaders in farming, having committed, two decades ago, to a plan that most other grandes marques are only now beginning to emulate—an evolution outlined in more detail in the March 2020 Week 1 Issue of The Wine Advocate, to which I refer readers looking for more insights into this house's methodology. On my latest visit to Reims, we looked at the new Blanc de Blancs, the latest Cristal Rosé and the new release of Brut Collection, Roederer's reimagined non-vintage Brut, which now embraces the base vintage rather than trying to efface it, accepting variation from iteration to iteration.

Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin

Always a great wine, but a bit shyer and less expressive than usual. Now, in and of itself, I only had one glass, but like so many wines from 2014, you rely entirely on a rather fragile thread of lightness, chalkiness and aromatic elegance. The notes are white and stylish with lots of minerality and white peaches in the foundation. Clear clean and long flavor which is quite low-key all the way.

James Suckling

Extremely subtle and delicate, this has an enveloping nose of tiny red berries and dried flowers. This sparkling rosé masterpiece is just beginning to really open up. Fabulous velvety texture on the mouth-filling palate, the very fine mousse already spot on. Tons of structure behind all this, so this should age really well. From organically grown grapes. Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink from release.

Wine & Spirits Magazine

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

The epitome of great rosé Champagne, this is beautifully intense. The fruit and balanced mineral edge are united with mature red-currant flavors in a wine that is perfectly aged. It is an impressive wine that is ready to drink.