The mild spring of 1997 brought on an early bud burst and was followed by bitterly cold temperatures in mid April coupled with severe frosts which damaged the Verzenay and Verzy vineyards.

Flowering took place early, on 10th June for the Côte des Blancs and Aÿ and on 13th June for Verzenay, and was immediately followed by a very cold and rainy spell which lasted through until early August and left us fearing the worst for our vines, due to the high threat of mildew and peduncular rot in particular. The return of better weather conditions in August and the warm and sunny weather in September saved a year that did not begin well! The harvests began on 15th September in the Vallée de la Marne, 18th September in the Montagne de Reims and 22nd September in the Côte des Blancs, and took place in bright sunshine! 

This slow-ageing champagne is carried by very fine bubbles and releases the warm, complex bouquet of a fine wine at its drinking best with notes of macaroons, nougat, almonds and baked apple.

The intense, rich and velvety structure, drawn out by a lovely limestone freshness, offers concentrated flavours of candied citrus fruit, magnificently sustained by the fine bubbles. This wine has an almost baroque radiance, born from the contrast between the magnificent body and the imposing saline freshness.  

Cristal Vinothèque is the ultimate Cristal experience, its finest expression and the culmination of our craft. After two long decades spent meditating, it is finally ready to dazzle you. However, it sees no reason to rush and will happily continue to rest for a few more years or even decades, in a cool, dark cellar with its orange cellophane protecting it from light, until your decide that its time has come...