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2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose

2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose

100 JG

Featured Review
(Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé Brut) Like the 2008 Cristal, the 2008 Cristal Rosé is the finest young vintage of this cuvée that I have ever tasted. The vineyards used for this cuvée have been farmed entirely biodynamic since the 2007 vintage and the wine was finished with a dosage in ’08 of 7.5 grams per liter. This is simply a brilliant young vintage of Cristal Rosé, offering up a stunningly pure and precise bouquet of fraises du bois, tangerine, complex, chalky minerality, white flowers and a touch of caraway seed in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, refined and full-bodied, with a flawless, completely seamless structural chassis, great depth at the core, elegant mousse and superb complexity and grip on the perfectly balanced, refined and laser-like finish. The 2008 Cristal Rosé is still a baby and will need at least another seven to ten years to start to truly blossom, but its magic is already very easy to behold. Rosé Champagne simply does not get any better than the brilliant 2008 Cristal! (Drink between 2025-2075) John Gilman

Cellar Tracker | 100 JG

Critic Reviews

(Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé Brut) Like the 2008 Cristal, the 2008 Cristal Rosé is the finest young vintage of this cuvée that I have ever tasted. The vineyards used for this cuvée have been farmed entirely biodynamic since the 2007 vintage and the wine was finished with a dosage in ’08 of 7.5 grams per liter. This is simply a brilliant young vintage of Cristal Rosé, offering up a stunningly pure and precise bouquet of fraises du bois, tangerine, complex, chalky minerality, white flowers and a touch of caraway seed in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, refined and full-bodied, with a flawless, completely seamless structural chassis, great depth at the core, elegant mousse and superb complexity and grip on the perfectly balanced, refined and laser-like finish. The 2008 Cristal Rosé is still a baby and will need at least another seven to ten years to start to truly blossom, but its magic is already very easy to behold. Rosé Champagne simply does not get any better than the brilliant 2008 Cristal! (Drink between 2025-2075)

John Gilman | 100 JG
The finest rendition of this cuvée that Lécaillon has produced to date—and, indeed, one of the finest wines produced by any of Champagne’s important houses in the last two or three decades—is the 2008 Cristal Rosé, a brilliant wine that derives from a mere four of the 45 plots that are candidates for inclusion in Cristal: two blocks of Pinot Noir from Aÿ, one of Chardonnay from Mesnil and another from Avize, and I suspect that its origin in the crème de la crème of Roederer’s Cristal-worthy holdings has even more to do with the extra dimension it possesses above and beyond its white counterpart than the delicate infusion of Pinot Noir phenolics that give it its delicate pink hue. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of wild strawberries, tangerine, warm pastry and crisp green orchard fruit, the 2008 is medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a racy but beautifully integrated spine of acidity, a multidimensional core and a searingly chalky and laser-focused finish. Impeccably balanced and harmonious, this superb wine represents one of the qualitative peaks of this great vintage. It will be seven or eight years until it truly starts to blossom, but its benchmark quality is already glaringly apparent.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP
Super fresh with all the DNA of the regular ‘08 Cristal. It heads on a chalky, restrained tangent of delicately spiced cherries with fine white pepper and crushed stones. The palate has a thread of silky, smooth pinot flesh that counterbalances the acidity of the chardonnay. Superb textural build, fine layers adding weight through the finish. Super long, fine and fresh red cherries, wrapped in super tight yet silky acidity. Drink in 2025.

James Suckling | 99 JS
The 2008 Cristal Rosé is all tension, nuance and class. Fresh and utterly brilliant, the 2008 bristles on the palate with pure pedigree. In the glass, the 2008 is at once translucent, weightless and powerful. Readers should be in no hurry to drink the 2008, a wine that will age effortlessly for many, many decades to come.

Vinous Media | 99 VM
Frédéric Rouzaud and Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon decided to hold the 2008 Cristal Rosé longer than the 2009, giving it eight years to rest on the lees. The cool vintage and long aging created a wine with a huge personality and presence, its compressed power barely relieved by Lécaillon’s decision to include lots that underwent malolactic fermentation (16 percent), a rare move for Roederer’s vintage cuvées. Even though the wine is a giant, challenging to approach right now, there’s elegance under its deep well of flavor, from rich, floral raspberry to elusive wild fruit. This is destined to live for decades. Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland, CA

Wine and Spirits | 96 W&S
Interestingly released after the softer 2009 version of this wine, this 2008 vintage is beautifully balanced between crisp fruit and ripe maturity. With its red fruits still in place, it also has a toasty yeasty edge that is sophisticated and enticing. It is a superb wine, delicious to drink now although because of the quality of the vintage it will age for many more years, certainly into the 2020s.

Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE
Like fine china, this graceful rosé Champagne is all about delicacy paired with form. Vibrant acidity provides well-honed structure, fleshed out by the detailed flavor range of white cherry, slivered almond, candied ginger, pink grapefruit pith and spring blossom as this rides the satiny mousse. Minerally smoke and chalk notes echo on the finish. Drink now through 2030.

Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Wine Details for 2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose

Type of Wine Champagne (Rose) : After the surge of popularity in the '90s, wine lovers around the world just can't get enough of Champagne Rose. Infused with the vibrant essence of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, these wines will take you to the stars. They're confident, delicious, and intellectually stimulating - everything one could wish for.
Varietal Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.

Country France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world.



For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide.



France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity.



France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.



With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.


Region Champagne : The sharp, biting acidity, cutting through the richness; the explosive force that shatters the bubbles as they rise to the surface; the intense flavor and compelling, lively mouthfeel; these are all hallmarks of a good Champagne. Most wines are made from a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, but there are pure-Chardonnay variants and ones that blend only Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. As a result, most wines come with a feeling of familiarity, if not nostalgia. Each Champagne house has its own unique style, so different bottles of Champagne may not resemble each other outside of the core varietal strengths. The soil composition of the subregion is characterized by belemnite and chalk, which lets it absorb heat during the daytime and release it at night. This terroir helps create the feeling of airy, playful lightness of fine sparkling wine.

These wines were originally marketed towards royalty, and you can feel a hint of that elusive blue-blood elegance and confidence while drinking one. A good Champagne carries you away like a hurricane carries small debris, and you can feel the powerful life force in each bubble even. The characteristic Champagne "pop" has become a staple at parties and celebrations around the globe - when you hear it, good times are right around the corner.

Overview

Producer Louis Roederer : Cristal Champagne is one of the sexiest, most seductive and exhilarating names in the world of wine. Synonymous with success, luxury and merriment, the label is the pinnacle of fine winemaking making in the region of Champagne. Individuals are so infatuated with the Cristal label that they are perhaps, unaware that the proprietor, Louis Roederer, produces an entire line-up of stellar sparklers with diverse styles and essences that are just as thrilling. Long before the luxury Champagnes of Roederer were highlighted in music videos and coasting the waves on superyachts, they were being handcrafted and supplied to the imperial court of Russia, the Royal Court of England and US dignitaries. However the world portrays its extravagance, the Louis Roederer experience is defined first and foremost by the art of Champagne making.

Established in 1776, under the name Dubois Pere & Fils, like many Champagne houses at the time, the company enjoyed its share of success, but it would not be until 1833, when Louis Roederer inherited the estate from his uncle, that its fame and reputation would rise to unheralded heights. He renamed the house eponymously, and took a visionary approach to enriching his vines, aiming to master every stage of the wine’s creation. In 1847, he acquired 15 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards of Verzenay. While other houses purchased their grapes, Louis Roederer nurtured his vineyards, familiarized himself with the specific characteristics of each parcel and methodically acquired the finest land, which again materialized in 1850 when he purchased another 100 hectares of Champagne’s Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. His guiding principle was that all great wine depends on the quality of the soil, a passion for tradition and an astute vision of the future. This strategy is still a core component of the House’s continuing development.

Today, the vineyards of Louis Roederer span 240 hectares (90% Premier and Grand Cru) in some of Champagne’s finest terroirs of Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne and Cote des Blancs. Roederer cultivates the three traditional grape varieties of the region: Chardonnay for its minerality, finesse and elegance, Pinot Noir’s solid structure and age-ability and Pinot Meunier’s adaptability which brings harmony and softness to certain cuvees. Their plot-by-plot approach to vine cultivation, which takes into account the specificities of the different soils, enables them to produce exceptionally mature grapes. As is their belief, the land is the source of all great Champagnes.

In addition to their world-renowned, award-winning Cristal line-up (including Rose, Vinotheque and vintage Cristals) the effervescent portfolio of Louis Roederer is heaving with an array of tremendous and unique wines, each showcasing the essence of grape variety and its sense of place. The wines include, Brut Premier, Carte Blanche, Collection (a blend of multiple vintages and terroirs) Blanc de Blancs (from the esteemed Cote des Blancs) Vintage, Rose Vintage and Brut Nature. They wines are a testament to the Roederer family who have tenderly fostered a unique bond between grape and terroir. The collection has an impressive annual output of 3.5 million bottles, exporting to over 100 countries around the globe.

Louis Roederer remains one of the few independent, family-owned houses in Champagne and is now managed by Frederic Rouzaud, who represents the seventh generation of the family’s lineage. As a direct decedent of Louis Roederer, it could be said that wine runs through his veins; with the same patience and unshakeable faith in creative vocation to Champagne winemaking, Rouzaud is not only perpetuating the greatness that is Louis Roederer, but elevating its reputation and broadening its horizons with its sister companies abroad. Today, Frederic is the driving force of Maison Louis Roederer’s wineries in France, Portugal and California (Roederer Estate in Anderson Valley, CA).

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