Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne 2012

La Revue du Vin de France

With a little more aging, it will reach the ultimate score, as it is so vibrant and profound... but still youthful. (smagt i 2021)

Falstaff

For the first time entirely from certified organic grapes. Mid greenish-yellow hue with silver reflections; persistent, fine bubbly mousse. Typical Cristal nose with white apple, fresh peach, fine biscuit, a touch of orange marmalade, also lime; an attractive bouquet. Very rich, tropical fruit nuances, a little more broad-shouldered than the finely chiselled 2008, supported by lively acidity, mineral and balanced on the finish. Has something immediately appealing, but will still improve with further bottle maturation. Once again a candidate for "Champagne of the Vintage".

Essi Avellan MW

Verema

Tastingbook.com

Antonio Galloni

The 2012 Cristal is the first made entirely from biodynamically farmed vineyards. Passionfruit, mango, spice and ginger open first, but it is the wine’s textural richness and volume that stand out most. The 2012 is one of the most opulent, flamboyant recent Cristals. Those qualities feel especially amplified in this tasting, perhaps because of the presence of wines from the surrounding vintages. It was a complicated season, as mildew reduced yields significantly, resulting in an especially rich Cristal that seems to be gaining intensity with time in bottle. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2020.

John Gilman

The 2012 vintage of Cristal is the first to be produced entirely from Demeter-certified, biodynamically-farmed fruit, which is a landmark for Maison Roederer. The future is now here! I have been looking forward to this release of this vintage of Cristal for a few years now, but sadly found myself not in top form to appreciate its debut, as I was so suffering from jet lag after my three weeks on the road in November that my energy level was no match for this beautiful young wine. The 2012 Cristal is its customary cépages of sixty percent pinot noir and forty percent chardonnay and none of the vins clairs went through malo this year, with one-third of the blend barrel-fermented. The wine was finished in 2012 with a dosage of 7.5 grams per liter and offers up a beautiful young nose of pear, apple, fresh lemon, white flowers, a very complex base of chalky minerality, a hint of the caraway seed to come and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a racy girdle of acidity, a rock solid core, impeccable focus and grip, refined mousse and stunning length and grip on the poised and perfectly balanced finish. This is another great vintage of Cristal in the making, but it deserves plenty of time in the cellar to blossom properly.

Wine Enthusiast

As the first 100% biodynamic Cristal, entirely from Roederer-owned vineyards, this is an important milestone. This latest incarnation is a great Champagne with its density, elegance and poise. Still impressively young, the wine is taut, tightly wound and textured. At the same time, it has pure, ripe white and citrus fruits that are perfumed, and an important part of this wine's long-term future.

Revista Adega, Melhor Vinho

“Composed of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, with 32% of the base wine aged in oak, no malolactic fermentation, and a final dosage of 7.5 g/l of sugar. In this vintage, it spends about 6 years in contact with the lees before disgorgement. Currently closed, it is more expressive on the palate than on the nose. It impresses with the precision and tension of the ensemble, all underpinned by electric acidity, excellent volume on the palate, and a firm yet creamy texture. Sharp and vertical like a sword, it boasts a long and profound finish, masterfully combining austerity and concentrated flavors in a structured profile that manages to be both powerful and elegant. Rightfully, one of the great editions of the new millennium so far, with decades of aging potential.”

Robert Parker

Aromas of clear honey, crisp green orchard fruit, white peach, pastry cream and dried white flowers introduce the 2012 Cristal, a full-bodied, concentrated and powerful wine that's built for the cellar. Broader, more textural and more muscular than the 2008 Cristal, with seemingly even greater reserves of structuring dry extract, the 2012 is incisive and searingly chalky. This is the first Cristal produced exclusively from organically farmed fruit, and it marks the opening of a new chapter for Louis Roderer. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, vinified without malolactic fermentation and disgorged with 7.5 grams per liter dosage. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has once again excelled himself. (WK) 97+

Jeb Dunnuck

The first vintage from 100% biodynamically farmed vineyards, the 2012 Champagne Cristal is a brilliant effort based on 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Always from the same blocks (45 blocks) and 40-year-old vines, it’s more rounded and supple than the 2008 and has plenty of oomph in its apple blossom, white flower, chalky minerality, spice, and toasted bread aromas and flavors. With gorgeous purity of fruit, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, flawless balance, and a terrific sense of minerality on the finish, this is a beautiful, elegant yet rich Cristal to enjoy over the coming 20 years or so.

Wine Spectator

A classic beauty, fresh-faced and focused today, but with a harmonious grace of form suggesting a long career ahead. There's a creamy, viscous quality to the mousse that swathes the palate, carrying finely detailed flavors of poached quince, Mandarin orange preserves, toasted almond and pickled ginger. Mouthwatering throughout, with a pleasing, soft zestiness to the mineral-laced finish. *Collectible*

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Creamy, fresh, vibrant, effervescent and silky, the wine pops with fresh green apple, citrus, brioche, nuts, flowers and honeysuckle. Long, concentrated, pure, elegant and complex, this is just great!

Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy

Pekka Nuikki

Vivino

(3767 ratings, 04-12-2024)