97 points — Decanter, October 2016
Translucent, shimmering gold indicating a wine of poised ripeness. Beautiful scents of orange blossom merge with a sense of great chalky terroir. The purity and sublime texture of the mouthfeel owes much to non-malolactic winemaking, which maintains freshness after the uninterrupted warmth of summer through to harvest. A long, lingering finish, and “a great supremely elegant Champagne.”

97 points — Jeb Dunnuck, February 2018
A beauty, with incredible richness as well as elegance — the hallmarks of this cuvée. A toasty yet pure bouquet of stone fruits, rising bread, white flowers and toasted bread, with a terrific sense of chalky minerality. Not built around sheer richness and power in the manner of Krug, but perfectly balanced, with a fine, fine mousse, shining for its class and purity.

97 points — Vinous (Antonio Galloni), March 2023
A wine of pure and total sensuality, with no hard edges or angular contours — the solar energy of the year is front and centre. Even with all that intensity, impeccably balanced from start to finish, and one of the most forward, sensual Cristals in recent memory. Its resonant, engaging personality is impossible to resist.

97 points — Wine Enthusiast, December 2016
The latest incarnation of this famous Champagne now comes from Roederer’s own vineyards, a good portion run on biodynamic lines. Great depth and richness, with a beautiful balance between ripe fruit and crisp texture that leaves it alive and bright. As it matures it will deepen and become more intense. Ranked #36 Top Cellar Selection of 2016.

Cult Wines International Notes:

Cristal was created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II, who asked Louis Roederer to set aside the house’s finest cuvée for his court each year. The flat-bottomed bottle of clear lead crystal was made to his specification, so nothing could be hidden beneath it. The house remains family-owned, unusual in Champagne, and Cristal is drawn entirely from estate vineyards: mid-slope grand cru sites on pure chalk, across seven grand cru villages plus Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, where Roederer holds exceptional parcels of Pinot Noir. Those plots are farmed biodynamically and often by horse, worked for lower yields. The wine spends around six years on the lees in the Reims cellars plus eight months in bottle after disgorgement.

The 2009 marks a milestone: it is the first Cristal made entirely from the estate’s certified organic vineyards, Roederer having become the largest organic vineyard owner in Champagne. The blend is 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay, roughly 15 percent fermented in oak, and as always no vin clair was allowed malolactic fermentation, preserving tension after a warm, uninterrupted summer. Expect translucent, shimmering gold with fine persistent bubbles, and a bouquet of citrus compote, candied apricot, honeysuckle and orange blossom opening to vanilla, cocoa bean, toasted hazelnut and a hint of liquorice. Rich, radiant and seductive on the palate, with chalky freshness, an almost mentholated brightness, remarkable depth and a long, lingering finish.