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Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Edition Brut Millesime 1997 is made from Pinot noir (62%) and Chardonnay (38%).
Color
A bright and shimmering golden color, animated by an ultra-fine and swirling effervescence.
Nose
The bouquet is pure, precise and complex, mixing aromas of white flowers, almond, honey and nougat. Upon aeration, notes of red fruits and smoke are revealed, followed by warm and caramelized nuances reminiscent of macaroon, baked apples and tarte tatin.
Palate
Indulgent and velvety, the palate is rich while maintaining a great freshness thanks to a delicate effervescence. The flavors of candied Corsican citron stretch out on a finish marked by a chalky, powdery and iodized freshness, offering a dense texture and a serene length.
The property
Founded in 1776 in Reims, the Louis Roederer Champagne House has remained family-owned and independent. After more than 200 years of existence, the Louis Roederer House is still in the hands of the same family. Today led by Frédéric Rouzaud, who represents the seventh generation of the lineage, the Louis Roederer House embodies the excellence of Champagne wines around the world thanks to cuvées crafted like a work of art.
The vineyard
With nearly 241 hectares of vines, the Louis Roederer House draws its strength from its extraordinary vineyard, composed only of Grands and Premiers Crus in the Marne Valley, the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. A true mosaic of terroirs, the Louis Roederer House's vineyard is divided into 410 plots that reflect all the diversity of the Champagne soils.
The wine
Cristal Vinothèque 1997 is made from three great vineyards known as "La Rivière", "La Montagne" and "La Côte".
The vintage
The spring of 1997, mild at first, was marked by an early bud break followed by severe frosts in April that damaged the vineyards of Verzenay and Verzy. After an early flowering in June, the rainy and cold weather until August favored the development of mildew and rot. Fortunately, the return of warm and sunny weather in August and September saved the vintage, with harvests taking place under radiant sunshine from September 15 to October 1.
Vinification and aging
Vinification is carried out in wood to the extent of 6%. Malolactic fermentation (16%). The cuvée was aged for 15 years on lees, 5 years on points and benefited from a rest of 4 years after disgorging. The dosage of this 1997 vintage champagne is 8 g/liter.
Review:
Intense nose of preserved lemons, salted yellow plums, walnuts, toast, salted caramel, roasted chestnuts and dried pineapple. Beautiful and complex, from 15 years, 5 years en pointe, before disgorgement in 2018. Delicious, salty toffee character. Soft, silky bubbles. Long and powerful. Thought-provoking. Unique. Will be launched in September 2022. Drink on release or hold.
-James Suckling 99 Points
Clos Saint-Jean is a 41-hectare estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape run by brothers Vincent and Pascal Maurel. Considered by many critics and wine-writers as the preeminent estate espousing the modern style of winemaking in Châteauneuf, this cellar is one of the oldest in the region, having been founded in 1900 by the greatgreat-grandfather of Vincent and Pascal, Edmund Tacussel. A short time after its founding and well before the AOP of Chateauneuf-du-Pape was created in 1923, Edmund began bottling estate wines in 1910.
The farming at Clos Saint-Jean is fully sustainable due to the warm and dry climate, which prevents the need for chemical inputs. Instead, Vincent and Pascal employ organic methods for pest control, mainly pheromones, to prevent pests from taking up residence in their vines, a process called amusingly enough in French, confusion sexuelle. The vines tended manually, and harvest is conducted in several passes entirely by hand.
Deus ex Machina is a literary and dramatic term for a miraculous intervention that interrupts a logical course of events in a plot or play. A suitable name for a cuvée that had it’s start in the torrid vintage of 2003 when Philippe Cambie and Vincent Maurel made the decision to harvest at the end of September, weeks after their neighbors. Deus ex Machina is a blend of old vine Grenache from La Crau, aged in tank with equally ancient Mourvedre from the sandy soils of BoisDauphin aged in demi-muid. Deus ex Machina is only made in the best vintages.
Review:
Lastly, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina shows a similar profile to the Combes des Fous, yet it brings another level of tannins and concentration. Kirsch liqueur, white flowers, sandalwood, cured meats, and graphite notes all shine here, and it's full-bodied, has a deep, layered, powerful, yet weightless profile, lots of ripe tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. This ripe, sexy, seamless, incredibly impressive beauty will compete with anything in the vintage. As usual, this cuvée is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, which is brought up in roughly 40% new demi-muids.
Review: Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
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