Will be interesting to see the quality of '08 CdC. There will be no '08 Dom Ruinart and more than one winemaker has told me that they were not thrilled with the Chardonnay quality in the vintage
Shades of 2002 with not all of the Chardonnay being desirable.
I bought one of these as my 50th b-day present to myself a few months ago. I will keep it for a while. My note from July:
"2008 Roederer Cristal
Blake treated us to the brand-new release. Bouquet has mineral up the wazoo. Salinity is there as well for me, a lot yet to go in terms of aromatics. Hard to assess on palate, so piercingly young, but seems like it has all the components to be a very good version of Cristal. Much thanks for sharing."
The 04, drunk in 2015, ended up my runner-up WOTY that year:
"2004 Cristal
I made the mistake of saying I’d never had a Cristal. Down went Berto to his cellar. Up he came with a Cristal. And this is different—a tremendously complex nose…hard to pin down, but wood varnish, lemoncurd, orange rind, bread and mineral all have a say. Then it hits your tongue. I’ve always wondered. But this is very, very special. I have never had a Champagne so vibrantly alive. I’ve had few wines period that have been this alive. A laser-like flow for me, with lemon-filled bread and mineral and steel aplenty. Truly extraordinary? How about this? I can’t stay away. And I can only take small sips to make sure I treasure every one. This is potentially my WOTY. Who woulda thunk—a Champagne! Huge thanks to Berto."
Maluhia,
Mike
I’ve opened 3 bottles so far, each time hoping this bottle would be more expressive and closer to the hype it has received and each time coming away thinking, I just need to be patient. No doubt, it has all of the stuffing, structure and acidity for its greatness, but I’ve yet to have one that was really open and giving of all of its treasures. At this stage, elegance is the hallmark IMHO, but there’s so much more coming and the gods will be graciously bowing.
I just don’t think cristal is a wine that drinks well early, along with vintage krug. Some vintages of dp are decent early but none of these drink as well early as cdc imo. There are plenty of great growers that drink best early, the grand Marques are for the cellar.
May I recommend to use a ZALTO white wine or ZALTO Universal which we used for Cristal. This certainly helps.
When might you start thinking about opening your 2008 Cristal ? Thanks.
At the end of the day, it is truly an excellent wine (and probably a touch ahead of the 2002 and 2004 renditions), and I think better than the similarly lauded 2008 Dom Pérignon, but it is also a large-production prestige cuvée wine with a huge amount of hype around it. I wouldn’t turn down a glass, and will likely even buy some if I can source it below market, but I would rather drink top bottlings from Egly Ouriet, Philipponnat Clos des Goises, Ulysses Collin - or even, to be honest, a bottle of the case of 1980s Delamotte NV I bought a few months ago. In other words, I guess the only thing I disagree with the OP about is the “nectar of the gods” formula, which really seems disproportionate. But perhaps progress means that the nectar of the gods is available in every duty free store in every airport of the world?
I don’t think it’d hurt to try one in a year or so just to check on potential but I won’t open one since 2023 at the very earliest. If you have cases of it, then by all means, but I just don’t think it’d be very good, and certainly won’t drink to its potential.
The 09 is a much earlier drinking vintage, imo, and will probably shine starting in as soon as a year or so from now, although would be best in 5+.
Ha! You’ve got the wrong dude !!!
I’m targeting our one bottle for 2025 which is a 50th anniversary and 75th birthday year. Exploring other champagnes that are more “approachable” (in more ways than one)
But seriously thanks.
I tried it with Pierre Emmanuel two years ago… best young Comtes I’ve ever had. At this stage it will be released in 12-15 months
Valuable information. Thank you!
I think it’d drink pretty well by 2025. My rule of thumb for cristal is that it starts the upward trajectory towards prime by 15 years from vintage and starts to plateau at ~20. They stay in the zone for a good while, better than many of its grand marque competitors, imo.
And WTSO was selling the 2008 GD in November for $109.99 with free shipping. Nice.
Cheers,
Blair
My personal experience with LGD has been woeful since the early on stellar 90. Later on, it seemed to just fall apart and the 95, 96 and even some later vintages had way too many flawed bottles as in oxidized. Id love to see a resurrection and if the 08` makes the grade, I’m back in.
2008 is the first vintage for the new Chef de Cave. I’ve had the 2008 LGD Rose and was very impressed. I hope to be so with the Brut also.
My local Costco last night had a ton of Cristal at $219, but it all seemed to be 2009. They had 2006 and 2008 LGD, and I got one of each. Also had one I’ve never heard about - Piper Heidsieck 2002 “Rare” for around $135.
FYI, here’s my notes on the 02` tasted in late August:
2002 PIPER-HEIDSIECK RARE MILLESIME BRUT- 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir with just under 10 grams of dosage and vinified in stainless steel tanks with full ML; this was a lovely bubbly with toasty brioche and ginger accents to the ripe stone and tropical fruit notes delivered in a creamy texture; it was rich and full bodied and had vibrant acidity; it seemed to expand on the palate and finished on a high note.
Thanks Blake!
I’m fond of the extra brut extra old from vc; I had the 06 gd last year and was underwhelmed to sah the least.