Louis Roederer was started in 1776 as Dubois Perre & Fils in the Champagne area of France. When Louis Roederer inherited the land from his uncle in 1833, it was renamed.

It is now the world’s largest family-owned Champagne house.

This renowned Champagne house’s main cuvée is Cristal. It is usually made up of 40% Chardonnay and 60% ripe Pinot Noir grapes.

Cristal is always a vintage Champagne and is only made in the best years. Only the vintages 2006, 2007, and 2009 were released in the 2010s.

It is also one of the world’s most age-worthy Champagne bottles.

Let’s take a look at the many Cristal Champagne styles.

CRISTAL CHAMPAGNE WINE STYLES

The Champagne house of Louis Roederer produces four unique Cristal sparkling wines:

• Cristal: It was developed by Roederer in 1876 for the Russian Tsar as the first Cuvee de Prestige (Prestige Cuvée) of Champagne. This Prestige Cuvee is composed of 60% ripe Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, with 32% aged in oak barrels.
• Cristal Rose: Cristal Rose is a 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay blend that has been stored in the cellars for six years.
• Cristal Vinotheque: Cristal Vinothèque bottles are matured “sur lattes” (horizontally stacked) for about ten years and ten years after dosing.
• Cristal Rose Vinotheque: This wine is made up of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. It is matured for a total of 20 years, ten on lees and ten after disgorgement.

10 BEST CRISTAL CHAMPAGNES TO BUY IN 2022 (TASTING NOTES & PRICES)

Here are the most irresistible Louis Roederer wines to add to your collection now:

• 2012 Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut ($250)
• 2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut ($331)
• 2012 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rose Millesime ($576)
• 1996 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rose Millesime ($1,570)
• 1996 Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut Millesime ($1,387)
• 1995 Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut Millesime ($1,256)
• 1996 Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut Rose Millesime ($2,126)
• 1995 Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut Rose Millesime ($2,090)
• 2002 Louis Roederer Cristal ‘Gold Medalion’ Orfevres Limited Edition Brut Millesi ($3,492)
• 2009 Louis Roederer Cristal ‘Gold Medalion’ Orfevres Limited Edition Brut Millesime ($260)

WHY IS CRISTAL CHAMPAGNE SO EXPENSIVE?

Cristal Champagne, like most other investment wines, is classified as a Veblen good, which means that demand rises in tandem with the price due to its exclusivity and “status symbol” appeal.

The secret to this luxury wine is hand-harvested grapes from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyard sites and high-quality craftsmanship.

Furthermore, the Cristal sparkling wine can be aged in the bottle for at least 20 years without losing its character and freshness.

In 2009, Wine & Spirits magazine awarded the 2002 vintage a perfect 100.

Expect to pay at least $200. Cristal wines appreciated by around 40% on average in the 2010s, and the increasing trend continues.

A Cristal bottle is covered in gold foil, which protects the aged white wine from UV damage, allowing it to stay longer. This Champagne brand’s unique style gives a special touch.

The simplest approach to adding an authentic Cristal wine bottle to your collection is to use a reputable online wine auction site like Crurated. This may be your one-stop shop for purchasing, storing, and selling great wine bottles worldwide!

Let’s also explore the secret behind the delicious flavors of this Champagne.

PRESTIGIOUS VINEYARDS AND METICULOUS WINEMAKING CHARACTERIZE CRISTAL CHAMPAGNE.

This superb sparkling wine is made from grapes grown on the 240-acre Louis Roederer vineyard’s oldest vines (25 to 60 years old) under the guidance of cellar master Jean Baptiste Lécaillon.

The vineyards are planted on Champagne’s top terroirs, in the Grands Crus and Premiers Crus of the Cote des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne.

The chalky terrain imparts superb minerality to the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, lending the wines crystalline acidity.

The vineyard employs biodynamic agricultural techniques, which involve the use of natural and organic products to produce great fruit.

THE HISTORY BEHIND CRISTAL CHAMPAGNE

Champagne became popular among the Russian nobility in the 1850s.

At a lavish supper in Paris attended by Tsar Alexander II of Russia in 1867, Roederer’s handcrafted Cristal was served as a custom-made, 20-year-old wine. It was created from grapes from the prestigious 1847 vintage.

It was served in clear leaded, flat-bottomed crystal glass bottles to highlight its lovely golden tint.

Tsar Alexander II adored it and made it the palace wine. To meet the Tsar’s demands, Champagne began full production in 1876.

Because of political unrest, the Tsar feared murder and ordered the Louis Roederer Champagne to be served in a clear glass or crystal decanter so he could see the bubbling and ensure no explosives were buried beneath.

Louis Roederer commissioned a Dutch glassmaker to produce a transparent lead-glass crystal bottle with a flat bottom for this purpose. This resulted in the creation of Cristal Champagne, which was commercially accessible in 1945.

By the early 2000s, the Champagne brand had gained popularity among a number of pop stars.

IT’S TIME TO INVEST IN A SOUGHT-AFTER CRISTAL CHAMPAGNE!

Cristal Champagne is one to keep in your cellar, whether for a special occasion or as a long-term investment that may be worth a fortune when you sell it. You can obtain one through a boutique wine store, an internet platform, or an auction. But you’ll never know if you’re holding an actual Champagne bottle or if you got the finest deal!

Crurated is the best place to buy, store, and sell Cristal Champagne, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other wines through their online wine auctions.