Wine News:  "If a wine could ever make you want to pull the top down on your '68 Ferrari convertible, rip off the rearview mirror and take off, this is it. It has a different kind of energy than the '02 Cristal Rose, which is more ethereal, like strawberries at the right hand of some ancient Gallic god. This is more insolent, brash, earth bound. All the scents and flavors seem to emanate frm limestone, as does the acidity, which hits at the front of the mouth and powers through the wine with the kind of solar energy that lifts mist off the white chalk on a cool morning in Cramant. The wine goes on for miles. It's already irresistible, and will only improve with ten, 20, 30 and 40 years of age."

Wine Enthusiast:  Rated as Superb, one of the greats.  "This is an exceptional wine, as is the vintage. The fruits�grapefruit, crisp red apple�balance with a fine yeasty character. There is a great depth of flavor, the fruits going in a pure line of freshness."

Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate:  Rated as An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.  "Subtle notes of pears, flowers, spices, mint, minerals and oak are woven into a cashmere-like frame of extraordinary grace and elegance. This beautifully-sculpted Champagne possesses notable clarity but with the additional depth of fruit that is characteristic of this vintage."

Connoisseurs' Guide:  Rated as An exceptional wine. Worth a special search of the market.  "This wine has a crisp, chalky, lightly citrusy, lightly toasty aroma that is more than a little bit suggestive of an elegant Blanc de Blancs. And perhaps that is its secret. It is an incredibly refined yet deep wine whose suggestions of roasted soy and caramel are kept as complex nuances within a well-filled, refreshing, crisp set of flavors and a graceful, lengthy aftertaste. It occupies a comfortable middle ground between the quiet refinement of Dom Perignon and the bold approaches of the top Bollinger and Krug wines."

Winery: "In 1876, Tsar Alexander II was already a great fan of Louis Roederer�s champagne and he asked Louis Roederer to 'go one step further' and produce, for his own personal consumption, a unique wine in quality and bottle. Louis Roederer offered to create an exceptional white crystal bottle to house the best selection from the 7 finest vineyards of his estate. This wine was only produced in the 'great' years when the ripeness of the Chardonnay and Pinot noir enabled a subtle, precise balance. The wine is the region�s most prestigious.

Precise, silky, balanced, and harmonious with a powerful, rich body, great purity and an incredible ability to age.  An intense delicate wine that reveals a precise, pure combination of sugared flowers, cocoas, finely toasted hazelnuts, and candied citrus fruits. The texture is infinitely silky, concentrated and flavoursome with an explosion of ripe fruit, red fruit, white chocolate, caramel and Viennoiserie typical of Cristal. It is a powerful and elegant wine with a crescendo of sensations that attains a true harmony of flavours and perfect integration."

Wired For Wine: The Cristal is the last member of our sparkling wine trilogy; prepare yourselves for happy faces...  Cristal conjures the image of celebration and memorable occasions for us.  Have you been waiting for a reason to make Chardonnay lobster with rhubarb or oysters with a Champagne zabaglione?  Here it is!  Because this showstopper of a Champagne is so spectacular with egg dishes, it is the perfect accompaniment to a holiday caviar brunch, or just a big glistening bowl of caviar at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.  Fill your glasses and get your Fa La La on wine lovers!

Order yours quickly; we expect to sell out fast! 

Size:  750 ml
Vintage:  2002
Varietal: 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay
Alcohol:  12.0%
Winemaking:  20% matured in oak casks with weekly batonnage, no malolactic fermentation; an average of 5 years maturation in cellars and rest 8 months after disgorgement
Region:  Champagne, France