Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 was characterised by an unusually dry, cool summer and undoubtedly falls into the ‘continental’ vintage category: dense and powerful, owing to its exceptional concentration. Nevertheless, the unusually cool temperatures over the summer made their mark on the vintage, giving it a remarkable intense and saline freshness. It has a complex and concentrated bouquet of candied citrus, yellow fruit, Williams pear, pollen and toasted almond. The delicately seductive bouquet shows intensity and well-honed precision.

Champagne Louis Roederer was founded in 1776 and has been owned by the same family since 1819. It is one of the few privately-owned Champagne houses left and is free from interference from multinational companies and hedge funds that are more interested in the bottom line than the quality of the Champagne. The house has substantial vineyard holdings (240 hectares), which helps control quality, consistency and price as there is less reliance on buying grapes from growers on the open market. 90% of the vineyards are classed as either Grand or Premier Cru and come from superb sites in the Montage de Reims, Vallee de la Marne and Cote des Blancs. Farming is increasingly being done biodynamically.