In 1876 when Tsar Alexander II requested that a special cuvee be created for is court Roederer duly obliged, creating what many regard to be the first prestige cuvee.

As the political situation in Russia was somewhat unstable, Tsar Alexander feared assassination. He ordered that Champagne bottles be made of clear glass, so that he could see the bubbles and to prevent anyone from hiding a bomb within, as could easily happen with a typical dark green bottle. Roederer commissioned a Flemish glassmaker to create clear lead crystal Champagne bottles with a flat bottom.

Originally a sweet blend, the Champagne was named "Cristal" after these distinctive clear lead crystal glass bottles.

In 1909, the House of Louis Roederer was regarded as the "Official Purveyor of Champagne to the Imperial Court of Russia" - a business coup that was later reversed following the deposition of the Tsar during the 1917 Revolution. Prohibition in the US caused additional financial difficulties during the early 20th century. However, the house survived these set backs and today Louis Roederer remains an independent, family-owned business, managed by Roederer's descendant, Frederic Rouzaud.

The composition of Cristal is approximately 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. The grapes used in the wine come from only the finest vineyards in Grand Cru villages. Lecaillon talks about the crucial role that vineyards play in qualtiy:
"A majority of our most recent development has been in vineyard operations. We have strict limits set for crop yields and we're using vines that are 25 years old on average. We evaluate the grapes coming from our own vineyards very critically. We try to improve the vineyards that aren't performing well and keep the ones that are at the highest level of quality.
The grapes from our own vineyards produce wine with an alcohol content that's an average of 1% higher than those produced with purchased grapes. There's less tart malic acid in our own grapes. Even though we strive for the highest possible acidity, it's absolutely necessary that this is accompanied by a ripe fruitiness. We belong to the five-percent minority of Champagne's producers who do not use malolactic fermentation to reduce acidity. The range of aromas is accentuated by the high-acid structure, much in the same way a salad dressing brings out the aromas in food.
And we stopped using cloned vines - we're only using the vine offspring form our own vineyards to ensure natural diversity. In the 1950s, -60s, and -70s cloning was far too simple a solution for such a complex thing."
-Chef de Cave Jean-Baptist Lecaillon, explained.

In 1876, a Roederer champagne made for Russia's Tsar Alexander II became the world's first luxury cuvee. But with the sudden collapse of the Russian market, the Champage house endured a long struggle on the verge of bankruptcy. Eventually, the family's shrewd patriarchs managed to turn things around, and today, Roederer is the most solvent of Champagne's houses; indeed, its future looks Cristal clear.

Roederer is one of the few top Champagne houses to remain family-owned. Although the house's history actually begins in 1776, the company was not called Roederer until 1833, when Louis Roederer inherited the business from his uncle. It was Louis Roederer himself who increased the house's production volume to its present level 2.5 million bottles a year. He laid the foundation for exports and, particularly in Russia, enjoyed great success.

Louis Roederer II, his son, receives the credit for developing Cristal. The Russian Tsar was absolutely taken with Roederer Champagne: in 1873, some 666,386 bottles, which amounted to approximately 27% of its entire production, were delivered to the court of Alexander II. In order to formalise Roederer's status as offical purveyor to the Imperial Court of Russia, Alexander II commissioned Louis Roederer to produce a very sweet, prestige blend packaged in a real crystal glass bottle. Roederer's Martine Charlotte Lorson told us: "The first luxury cuvee was born. From the very beginning, the bottle was clear and flat-bottomed. We later patented the bottle's design. We have tried to change from the flat-bottomed bottles, but we can't. Because of and thanks to the patent, Cristal's label and appearance have stayed the same since 1928!"
And how fortunate that is, because, at least in our opinon, it is quite possibly the most beautiful wine bottle in the world, especially wrapped in its trademark amber cellophane. Chef de Cave Jean-Baptise Lecaillon explained the practicalities: "We started using cellophane in the late 1970s, and there were still bottles with and without cellophane available in the early 1980s. Champagne is a light-sensitive product, so even though the cellophane is beautiful, it also plays a key role in protecting the Cristal from ultraviolet radiation. The amber cellophane also makes the bottle instantly recognisable, thus serving as a brand-building tool." The story of Cristal's genuine crystal bottle is well-known. This is why we were surprised to discover that there is not one true crystal bottle in existence or even one photograph of one. "Unfortunately, that's true", says Lorosn, and continues, "We've been searching high and low without any luck. But then again, Cristal was only packaged in crystal bottles for one or two years. The bottle was too weak to withstand the pressure and, because the Tsar's Champage was so sweet, there was some post-fermentation, and the resulting losses were too much even for the extravagant Tsar."

Tasting Notes: Lustrous pale gold. Delicate, elegant bubbles forming a fine gossamer string. Very expressive on the nose, with an intense floral bouquet comprised of fragrant almonds, hazelnuts, and white flowers. On the palate is a generous, rounded, creamy attack followed by a touch of acidity to mark a finish of elegant persistence. Light and fresh, it is undoubtedly a wine of admirable magnitude with time. Overall, this is a wine guarding the Cristal tradition, possessing all the traits of a timeless creation.

Food Affinity: A traditional wine of exceptional purity and finesse which will develop stronger characteristics with age. The strength and finesse of Cristal are perfectly paired with fine foods. It compliments caviar, fish and shellfish such as scallops, John Dory, lobster and crayfish.

Critical Acclaim

WS92
Wine Spectator