For many years now, Champagne Louis Roederer has been leading the way in progressive practices in the vineyard in the region. This approach showed in the wines at this year’s staff summit, and in a quite spectacular way. The wines of Roederer really have a shine to them, and the soon to be released 2009 Louis Roederer "Cristal" Brut Champagne exemplifies this luminescent style. Roederer has been the largest organic vineyard owner in Champagne for many years, and this is the first year that Critstal has been made exclusively from these organic, mid slope, pure chalk sites. The ripe vintage of 2009 has made for a precocious wine that is already showing much more aroma and giving much more pleasure than Cristal normally does when first released. That being said, this is a chalky, complex, detailed Champagne that has decades and decades of time to shine!

There’s a real purity of fruit to Cristal’s 2009: apple shines through, with lovely sweetness tempered by bright acid and a delicate finish. This is an easygoing vintage, so much so that Roederer pushed it ahead of the more structured 2008, and there’s a lot to love about this layered release: creamy roundness, subtle leesy character, and for the first time, all organic, Grand Cru vineyard sources! 40% Chardonnay from chalky soil adds freshness, while the remaining 60% Pinot Noir lends accessibility. Cristal is always a treat, but the complex, age-worthy 2009 overdelivers.

Among the prestige cuvées in Champagne, Louis Roederer’s Cristal stands out for its delicacy, purity and precision. It is made entirely from mid-slope Grand Cru vines, with no malolactic fermentation and seven years of lees aging. Even in its relative youth, the 2009 displays a meticulous nature: mouth watering, fresh citrus fruit and white flower flavors with subtle underlying pastry notes that meld seamlessly with the richness from the long lees aging. This impressive vintage will last at least 30 years, so set a couple aside!