Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut, Champagne, France 2016

Cristal Millésimé Brut 2016 is a profound expression of one of Champagne’s most iconic cuvées, showcasing extraordinary precision, depth, and elegance. Aromas of lemon zest, white peach, candied citrus, acacia blossom, toasted almond, and delicate brioche unfold with remarkable purity and complexity. The palate is layered and crystalline, balancing rich orchard fruit, vibrant citrus, chalk-driven minerality, and subtle smoky nuance with an exceptionally fine, persistent mousse. The outstanding 2016 vintage brings remarkable freshness, concentration, and tension, creating a Cristal of both immediate brilliance and immense aging potential. Powerful yet weightless, this is a masterfully composed Champagne that captures the timeless sophistication and luminous precision that define Cristal at its finest.

"The 2016 Champagne Cristal is chalky and pristine, with a crystalline nature and notes of white peach, fresh citrus blossoms, and bright salinity. Tasted for the first time last year, it captures a precise and focused energy that’s unmatched. It boasts the energy and tension of 2002 and the precision of 2008. The wet-stone minerality of fresh chalk texture is profound, opening with medium body, showing pinpoint mousse, and sustaining a weightless energy through the long finish. This is not an obvious wine on opening, but it is by far one of my favorite wines of the year. It is going to require some patience, but it is worth stashing away and should have fantastic longevity." Jeb Dunnuck 100