Louis Roederer Cristal Rose 2012 was bottle-aged for 8 years before being left to rest for 8 months after disgorging, in order to attain perfect maturity. The dosage is 8 g/l. It has a bright pink hue with delicate salmon-pink tints. A soft, even sparkle fills the glass and gives the wine an almost creamy appearance. The delicate, subtle bouquet opens with elegant aromas of flower petals, dried fruit and nuts, which then give way to zesty notes of red berries, such as redcurrant and wild strawberry, characteristic of our old Pinot Noir vines from Ay. The juicy and fleshy attack on the palate is underpinned by a direct, intense freshness. It displays simultaneously solid and fluid powdery notes, harking back to the tannins in the perfectly ripe pips. There is an explosion of intense, rich, fresh flavours, complemented by notes of hazelnut and a powdery, almost oily, mouthfeel, characteristic of the finest Pinot Noirs. There is an impression of chalkiness on the finish, with zesty notes reminiscent of candied citrus and yuzu.

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.