Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2014
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2014 is a 12% ABV vintage Champagne from the cuvée created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II — 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from Grand Cru parcels on the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs, farmed biodynamically, a third fermented in oak, malolactic blocked, dosed at 7 g/L. The 2014 growing season was a "weather waltz" of extremes — superb dry spring, scorching June, cool rainy summer, hot dry September — and the wine came out fleshy, concentrated, and chalky-mineral: 98 points from Wine Spectator (#10 Wine of 2022), 98 from Jeb Dunnuck, 97 from James Suckling. Aged a minimum of six years in Roederer's cellars plus eight months' rest after disgorgement. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 12%
- Size: 750mL
- Vintage: 2014 (60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay)
- Vineyards: Grand Cru parcels, Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs; biodynamic farming; 45 estate parcels, 39 selected
- Production: 32% oak fermentation; no malolactic; 7 g/L dosage; minimum 6 years cellar aging + 8 months post-disgorgement; cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
The Tsar's Cuvée, the 2014 Vintage
Cristal was born of imperial vanity — Alexander II wanted the house's best in a clear, flat-bottomed bottle so nothing could hide in it — and it has been the benchmark prestige cuvée ever since. The 2014 is a vintage of contrast: the chalk soils drained a rainy summer and banked a dry September, giving a wine that opens fleshy and generous, then tightens to a long mineral line. It drinks beautifully now and will develop for two decades. Pair it in the cellar with the Louis Roederer Collection 242, or browse the prestige bottles in our Champagne collection.
Tasting Notes
Nose: lemon and grapefruit, closed red apple, blood orange, white flowers, almond paste, subtle toast, toasted hazelnuts. Palate: fleshy and concentrated — pink grapefruit, blood orange, red apple, nectarine, stone fruit — over chalky minerality with a supple, creamy texture. Finish: long, mineral, saline, elegant.
How to Enjoy
Serve at 8–10°C; decanting for 20 minutes opens the aromatics. Superb with oysters, lobster, or Comté gougères — the citrus and chalk cut richness cleanly. Drink now through 2040.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Cristal?
Created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, who requested the house's finest cuvée in a transparent crystal-clear bottle.
What makes the 2014 vintage special?
A season of extremes — dry spring, scorching June, cool rainy summer, hot dry September — producing a fleshy yet mineral Champagne critics scored up to 98 points.
How long can I age Cristal 2014?
Easily through 2040; it is approachable now but will gain complexity for well over a decade.
Prestige Champagne at its most storied — order Louis Roederer Cristal 2014 online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.