Chalk soils drive Pinot Noir to make a style that has additional minerality here and compression. On the nose, there are white cherries, gentle spices and hints of almost peppery notes. There's spring honey too and some yeasty, darker mushroomy edges. The palate is silky, very composed, refined, elegant and powerful. It's the chardonnay that defines the palate here in a different way to the other Roederer Champagnes. That this is a unique Champagne is absolutely correct: The depth and grapefruit focus is so impressive, as is the layered, elegant and long finish. Just effortless as a late toasty wave of grilled hazelnuts finishes things off.

This actually took 20 minutes or so to get rolling with its elegant, pure and distinctly yeasty nose that combines notes of toasty green apple, Meyer lemon, floral and a whiff of brioche. There is a lovely sense of energy and intrinsic tension to the middle weight flavors thanks to the ultra-fine mousse before culminating in a clean, bright, highly complex and distinctly dry but not really austere finale that goes on and on. For my taste, this has arrived at its peak though it will hold for years to come.

Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon calls Cristal 'the first terroir cuvée of the Champagne.' He furthers, 'It’s not just Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, but the chalk that brings the ultimate finesse, length and precision of Cristal.' Forty-five blocks with averaging age of 43-years-old, low-yielding vines form the base of Cristal, which is usually made of approximately 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Due to an early bud break (end of March) and the wet summer, the 2007 was picked at the end of August, so almost 100 days after the flowering instead of the normal 93-95 days. There is a bit less Pinot Noir than usual (57%) and accordingly, more Chardonnay (43%) in the 2007 Cristal. This Champagne comes along in a golden color and with a deep and matured, yet well-defined bouquet of ripe yellow fruits and honey notes. Full-bodied, round and very complex, the generous 2007 is a perfect mix of ripe fruit and precise minerality. It is a silky textured, pure and precise, as well as powerful and expressive Champagne. It has great tension and grip in the very long and persistent finish. Great expression of chalk. The 2007 was disgorged in 2015. (SR)