In 1876, Tsar Alexander II—already a great lover of Louis Roederer wines—asked Louis Roederer to ‘take the exercise still further‘ and create a cuvée for his personal use which was unique, in terms of both its style and the bottle. Louis Roederer offered him an exceptional crystal bottle, holding the fruit of vines selected from the seven great crus on his estate. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes provide the subtle, precise balance that has now become synonymous with the leading prestige cuvée of Champagne, composed of Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs.
Cristal Vinothèque radiates the notes of the original Cristal, as well as notes of iodine, salinity and a surprising youthfulness. Not quite the same, but not really different either. More “Cristal” than ever. At the end of a long meditation lasting two decades, combined with late disgorgement and fine-tuning to the point of perfect equilibrium, it emerges as a fresh perspective of champagne, an even more perfect and exciting vision.
Cristal Vinothèque 2002 celebrates the remarkable adventure of just a small number of bottles, laid down for 20 years in the Louis Roederer cellars, in the quest for perfect balance. This cuvée was aged for 11 years “sur lattes” followed by 5 years “sur pointes” and benefitted from a further 4 years rest after disgorgement. This is something that goes beyond champagne, here we have a wine with concentrated, long, delicate and fresh textures not dissimilar to a great white Burgundy.
Dynamic yet delicate bubbles forming a lingering bead. Golden yellow hue flecked with green. Intense, complex bouquet with a blend of citron, citrus peel, grilled almond and wheat aromas. We have a tantalizing impression of morning dew combined with smoky notes, nougat and honey. Upon aeration, slightly truffled vanilla notes then come to the fore. The palate is fresh and energetic yet caressing and luminous. The big, juicy, body quickly gives way to a limestone, saline and almost iodine-like finesse showing infinite energy. Fine, toasted hazelnuts round off the flavoursome palate. The finish lingers delicately with a powdery, salivating and very saline Umami-like sensation. The 2002 Cristal Vinothèque is a gastronomic wine that is best decanted for a few minutes before drinking.
Harvest Notes
From 12 to 29 September 2002
An extraordinary year with all the qualities of an exceptional vintage in Champagne: consistently warm temperatures yet without excessive sunshine or heat, a particularly mild winter, slightly less rainfall than average during the growing cycle (20% less), cool nights and a cool, dry northeast wind in August and September. These exceptional conditions resulted in optimum ripeness levels in the grapes and good concentration of flavour.
The harvesting began on the 12 September for the Chardonnays which were displaying an average sugar concentration of over 11% in natural alcohol.
Varietals: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Wine in Oak: 17%
Malolactic Fermentation: 0%
Dosage: 8g/l
Ratings and Reviews
99 Points - James Suckling
"An extraordinary champagne experience that you’ll never forget! Tons of white chocolate on the savory nose pulls you into this concentrated and chalky champagne with rich candied citrus and mirabelle fruit. So much oily umami complexity right through the huge breathtakingly vivid finish. Just 10% of each vintage of Cristal gets the extra years of aging for release as Vinotheque. Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink or hold." (SP, 07/2023)
98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
"A golden straw hue, the 2002 Champagne Cristal Vinothèque was aged for 11 years sur latte, and then an additional 5 years sur pointe, where they continued to riddle them every quarter, keeping the lees working while further sealing the wine from oxygen. It was disgorged in 2019, with a lower dosage of 6 grams per liter and a bit more bottle pressure than Cristal's base release. Smoky and complex, it shows off an incredible kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors with exceptional length. It’s a singular wine with fantastic umami richness and an expressive bouquet of apricot, ginger candy, frangipane, and praline. The palate offers a rich glycerol texture that takes this above and beyond, with a pinpoint mousse and a seamless spine of acidity. It’s showing incredibly well now, but there’s no need to hurry. It should drink up well over the coming two decades. Drink 2024-2050." (AF, 11/2023)
98+ Points - Vinous Media
"The 2002 Cristal Vinothèque offers a touch more precision and tension than the original release. Dried flowers, tangerine peel, spice, mint and orange peel all grace this exquisite, wonderfully vibrant Champagne. The 2002 opens beautifully with air, offering a compelling mix of 2002 rich fruit drenched in bright, chalky saline notes. The explosive finish is incredibly alluring. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2018." (AG, 03/2023)
![Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque Champagne 2002 - 1.5L Magnum - (Champagne, France) - [WS 99] [JS 99] [VM 98+]](http://artisan.wine/cdn/shop/files/Screenshot2026-07-30114249_{width}x.png?v=1785436978)