Louis Roederer 2018 "Cristal" Brut Champagne

98 Points! Limited                                 The legendary Cristal Champagne now available for a limited time.  Treat yourself to one of the world's highest-rated and best Champagnes made. 98 Points Wine Spectator: "A well-tailored style, with density, length and a firm spine of vivid acidity. Though this is firmly structured, there’s a sense of finesse. The crisp, delicate mousse is a swathe of lacy texture enmeshing the fine frame as this carries flavors of black currant, lemon curd, chalky mineral and biscuit. The finish is long and fragrant, echoing fruit, toast, mineral and spices. Harmonious and enjoyable today, but this will cellar nicely -- potentially longer than some of its peers from the vintage. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2048. 3,250 cases imported." 98 Points Vinous: "The 2018 Cristal opens a new chapter for Roederer. The Cristal estate is composed of 45 parcels. In better vintages, most of the 45 parcels are used for the blend. The 2018 vintage brought with it elevated ripeness and generally low acids. Longtime Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon was forced to cast his gaze wider, to look for parcels that offered a touch of freshness. Lécaillon expanded his palette to 57 parcels. The result is a Cristal unlike any other I have tasted. Orchard fruit, dried flowers, spice, chalk and herbs are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. Floral and savory overtones are quite distinctive. Lécaillon reduced oak ferments, racked very quickly after fermentation and used all his best Chardonnay lots for Cristal, so much so that there is no Blanc de Blancs. He bottled earlier than normal and chose a crown capsule with a liner that allows less oxygen transfer than the norm here. Taken together, those choices paid off handsomely. In tasting, the 2018 is positively stunning. Its linear energy and brilliance are a bit reminiscent of the 2014, but its flavor profile is completely different from any Cristal I can remember tasting. Dosage is 7 grams per liter." 98 Points Wine Enthusiast "Cellar Selection": "From vineyards that are run organically, this iconic Champagne's latest iteration is as beautiful as ever. Textured, with a mineral undertow, the wine is just beginning to soften and show a balanced maturity." The 2018 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne is composed of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from estate vineyards. Only the best, mid slope, old vine sites are selected for this estate within an estate, and all the farming is done organically. One third comes from sites on the Mountain of Reims, another from the Marne Valley and the last thrird from the Cote des Blancs. The 2018 is 32% fermented in wood and dosed at just 7 grams per liter.