Roederer Cristal Rosé: A Journey Through Time 1976-2007

This recent vertical of Cristal Rosé was remarkable for so many reasons. The wines were absolutely brilliant throughout. Two vintages, the 1995 and 1996, mark the first official releases from Roederer’s new Late-Disgorged program. Above all else, though, I was deeply impressed with the singular personality of Cristal Rosé, something that came through loud and clear in every bottle. Although this tasting spanned just nine vintages, Cristal Rosé has built an enviable track record over the years, making it among the most – if not the single most – consistently outstanding Rosé Champagne in the market. 

View all vintages of Cristal Rosé in the Vinous database

View all vintages of Cristal in the Vinous database

Roederer is one of the beacons of quality in Champagne. Naturally, the flagship Cristal and Cristal Rosé get most of the attention, but year in year out, the Brut Premier is one of the best Champagnes in its price range. Unlike most of the grande marques, Roederer is family owned and remains on the smaller end of things relative to its peers. There is a decidedly human scale at Roederer that isn't always evident in Champagne. Cristal boasts a rich lineage that goes back to 1876, when Czar Alexander II asked Roederer to create a special luxury cuvée bottled in clear crystal. In 1971, proprietor Jean-Claude Rouzaud, who made the wines at the time, began experimenting with a Rosé version of Cristal. The first commercial release, the 1974, followed a handful of years later. Unlike most other grande marque Champagnes, Cristal Rosé has been made from the same 100% estate owned vineyards from the beginning, which is one of the reasons the wines follow such a precise stylistic line from vintage to vintage. The typical blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The Pinot Noir emerges from the Bonotte Pierre Robert lieu-dit in Aÿ, and is vinified with light skin contact (saignée), which is unusual among grande marque Rosés, most of which are made from blending still Pinot into a base blend. The Chardonnay is sourced from Montmartin in Mesnil-sur-Oger and in Pierre Vaudon in Avize.