Outstanding! The 1996 vintage seems to have attracted the good fairies to the cradle of its birth.

Because, although the capricious, even conflicted, weather conditions may have caused some concern during the growing cycle, the end of the summer delivered some superb quality grapes along with a good size harvest. Maturity and freshness were the cornerstones of this great year which, even today, is still considered a benchmark.

Cristal is Louis Roederer's flagship champagne. It comes from 45 plots from Grands Crus vineyards (located in La Vallée de la Marne - also known as the vineyard of "la Rivière", La Côte des Blancs and La Montagne de Reims), covering a total of 80 hectares. This estate has been carefully built up by the Roederer family since 1841 and worked in a bespoke manner with respect for the living environment.

Created in 1876 at the special request of Tsar Alexander II, a great lover of the wines from Champagne, Cristal is uniquely inspired. It is also said that the monarch had it specially created for his muse to whom he dedicated it to. It was a bespoke design; a transparent, flat-bottomed bottle (said to have been chosen to thwart any assassination attempts on the Russian sovereign), a prodigious ageing, the promise of eternal youth.

Produced only in years when the grapes reach perfect maturity, Cristal is the product of time and the fruit of state-of-the-art viticulture.

6 to 10 years ageing in the bottle, riddling exclusively by hand and a long rest after disgorgement all play a part in the crafting of a vintage Cristal. This is a champagne that is destined for high-end gastronomy, capable of creating the most refined and original food pairings, to be enjoyed at different stages of its life and maturity.

A year of sublime weather, 1996 still delivers wines of an undiminished resonance.

Cristal 1996 seizes this resonance and gives us phenomenal energy and intensity combined with some mature notes. All the concentration of the 1996 vintage shows through with fullness, freshness and a vinous finish.

This outstanding Champagne has now reached perfect maturity and is ready to be enjoyed. However, it sees no reason to rush and will happily continue to rest in a cool, dark cellar with its orange cellophane protecting it from light, for a few more years should you so wish.