Louis Roederer Cristal Rose Brut Champagne (Millésimé) 2014 750ml

Product Info

Terroir
Cristal Rosé 2014 is drawn almost entirely from Roederer’s biodynamically farmed estate vineyards in Aÿ, with a particular focus on Pinot Noir grown on chalk-rich, south-facing slopes that have exceptional ripeness potential while maintaining crystalline mineral tension. These parcels sit on pure Champagne chalk overlain with light clay, a combination that promotes both drainage and deep root penetration, giving the wine its signature precision, salinity, and structural finesse. The 2014 vintage was marked by an early, warm spring followed by a cooler summer with intermittent rainfall; the result was slow, even ripening, allowing Pinot Noir to develop its hallmark wild red fruit aromatics and fine, etched tannic shape. Chardonnay, mainly from Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger, contributes lift, linearity, and a sense of chalk-driven luminosity, completing the wine’s tension and purity.

Winemaking & Technical Notes
The blend typically hovers around 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, with the Pinot Noir undergoing cold-soak maceration to achieve its delicate salmon-pink hue and fine aromatic complexity. All grapes are harvested by hand and pressed with extraordinary delicacy. Fermentation takes place in a combination of oak vats and stainless steel, with a proportion undergoing malolactic fermentation depending on vintage expression. The wine is then aged on the lees in bottle for a minimum of 6 years, followed by extended rest after disgorgement to allow its textures to knit fully. The dosage is brut (low), ensuring the red-fruit purity, chalk expression, and mineral drive remain precise and transparent. The mousse is exceptionally fine, more like silk under tension than foam.

Tasting Notes
Cristal Rosé 2014 opens with a perfumed, subtle bouquet of wild strawberry, Rainier cherry, white peach skin, rose petal, and blood orange zest, interwoven with notes of chalk dust, saffron, and crushed limestone. On the palate, the wine is weightless yet concentrated, carrying a sleek, silk-thread texture that glides rather than grips. Flavors of pomegranate, alpine raspberry, red currant, and Mandarin orange are supported by a luminous core of chalk minerality and vibrant acidity that feels refreshing rather than sharp. The finish is long, pure, and saline, lingering with fine red berry fruit, citrus blossom, and a whisper of white tea. A wine of precision, restraint, and quiet radiance, expressing the crystalline architecture that defines Cristal at its most ethereal.

Food Pairing & Service
Serve at 48–52 °F (9–11 °C) in a tall, narrow Champagne tulip, not a wide coupe, to emphasize its aromatic delicacy and vertical minerality. No decanting required, but allow it to sit in the glass and slowly unfold.
This is a Champagne that excels with texture-driven, delicately flavored dishes:

• Bluefin tuna crudo with citrus oil
• Langoustine poached in butter
• Delicate duck carpaccio with sumac and pink peppercorn
• Salmon sashimi or uni over sushi rice
• Creamy cheeses such as Brillat-Savarin or Délice de Bourgogne

For a signature pairing: roasted lobster with tarragon and fennel mirrors the wine’s floral and saline notes beautifully.
Peak drinking now through 2040, with potential to deepen and gain spice and complexity over time.