Louis Roederer, Cristal 1959

Champagne, France

a legend because…

Created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II, a great admirer of and customer for Roederer wines, this Champagne remains universally recognised due to its presentation in a clear bottle, cellophane-wrapped to protect it further. The wine created for the tsar is remote from the modern incarnation, as it was extremely sweet. The unique packaging was patented in 1928, when the brand, which ceased production after the Russian Revolution, was revived as a prestige cuvée. It is rare for any vintage of Cristal to disappoint, given the scrupulous attention paid to quality and balance before the Champagne is declared and released. The 1959 is clearly exceptional, and so too were past vintages such as 1949, 1955, 1962 and 1964.

Looking back

Then as now, the wine was produced solely from grapes grown in the Roederer vineyards. Although the original Cristal was very sweet, once the Russian connection had been severed due to the Revolution, the blend gradually evolved to its present dry style. Its iconic character – above all its packaging, which established its status as a brand – remained unchanged. The wine was made to the most exacting standards, as is still the case today. The even more revered Cristal Rosé did not exist at this time, and was first produced in 1974.

The vintage

As in other parts of France, the summer in the Champagne region was hot and dry, generating a large crop of very ripe grapes. The grapes were picked between 12-25 September. Pinot Noir attained natural alcoholic ripeness – that is, without chaptalisation – of 12˚-12.5˚, and Chardonnay was even riper at 13˚. Acidity was low, but as with the top wines of Bordeaux, the best 1959 Champagnes have stood the test of time.

The terroir

The vines were given a severe pruning and the bunches thinned during the growing season to give optimal ripeness and concentration. In this vintage the Pinot Noir was sourced from top vineyards in Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle and Aÿ; the Chardonnay came from Avize, Mesnil, Cramant and Chouilly.

The wine

For Cristal, only the first pressing is used, and even those pressings are tasted and graded to ensure the base wines are of the highest quality. All the wine is fermented in oak, using barrels of 205 litres and casks of 6,000 litres. There is no fixed rule about malolactic fermentation, but in this vintage there was no malolactic, presumably because the acidity was low. After bottling, it is aged six years on lees, and then for a further eight months after disgorgement. The dosage is relatively high, at up to 11 grams per litre, but this is required to balance a wine that typically has high acidity and is intended to be capable of prolonged cellaring. Indeed, immediately after release Cristal can seem closed and inexpressive, but that is because it is styled as a Champagne for the long haul.

The reaction

In 1996, Swedish Champagne expert Richard Juhlin found it ‘majestic and irresistible’, saying: ‘As usual Cristal manages to charm both the expert and the novice with its beautiful, exotic sweetness and creamy toffee flavour. This wine doesn’t show us anything new or unexpected, but quite simply offers more of all the good things one finds in these wines.’ In 2013 the current cellarmaster at Roederer, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, who has been responsible for recent vintages of Cristal since 1999, tasted the wine and noted: ‘Delicious sweetness, charming and irresistible. Almost exotic in character with caramelly creaminess but also rich in extract. Yet there is a strong acidity, giving a powerful, concentrated wine.’

THE FACTS

Bottles produced N/A Composition 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay Alcohol 12% Release price N/A Price today £ 2,400