2016 Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut Champagne 3pk 3x750ml

Light golden yellow, silver reflections, fine, persistent mousse. Delicate nuances of fresh lime, white tropical fruit, floral aromas, a hint of green apple; conveys cool, attractive freshness. Taut, already full of chalky salinity on the palate, finely-meshed, notes of vineyard peach, very lively, lemony touch, salty finish, a complex food wine with good ageing potential. Will seamlessly join the series of great cool years such as 2002, 2008 and 2012. ~ 99 Falstaff

This iconic Champagne, first made in the 19th century for the Tsar of Russia, shows its typical stunning balance and poise between richness and concentration. It has a pure white fruit and honeysuckle aroma and tight, tangy fresh fruit flavors. Just ready to drink, the wine will age well, for at least 20 years. Organic. ~98 Wine Enthusiast

The 2016 Cristal is a blend of 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay with 7 grams per liter of dosage. No malo-lactic was performed here, and 31% of the base wines were aged in French oak. The nose begins with bright red berry notes of fresh raspberries and strawberries before opening out to a complex undercurrent of saffron, white chocolate, talc, baker’s yeast, and emerging wafts of citron blossom and pear tart. The palate is very dry and spicy, not needing even a touch more sweetness thanks to the abundance of ripe berry and citrus flavors, delivering beautifully knit acidity and typically tiny, persistent bubbles. It finishes with notes of effervescent chalkiness and saffron flowers, leaving you reaching for another sip. ~98 The Wine Independent

This has wonderfully pure fruit aromas, such as peaches, Asian pears and golden apples, alongside lemon curd, gingerbread, chalk and jasmine. Rock salt and oyster shells follow on the palate, which is so seamless that you scarcely notice the super-fine bubbles. It’s concentrated yet gentle at the same time, with impressive resolution and integration of all components. Salty and creamy at the very-long finish. Fantastic! 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay. Drink or hold. ~98 James Suckling

Cristal 2016 represents a return to purity and classicism for this cuvée, even seen through the lens of 2016's ripe, generous nature. It is discreet in youth, cloaking its ripeness in long, chalky, stony energy. Gentle mandarin, pale apricot and raspberry fruit sit under slowly maturing notions of floral honey and tight, smoky charm. An airy, flowing delicacy and persistence lifts this above some other expressions of this year. It's a hugely promising Cristal, likely to stand as tall as the sought-after 2012 and 2013 releases. ~97 Decanter

The 2016 Cristal is a taut, incisive rendition of this benchmark bottling, unwinding in the glass with youthfully reserved aromas of citrus oil, white flowers, wet stones and subtle hints of sweet, buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and racy, it's almost as electric as the brilliant 2013, with serious concentration, a pure core of fruit, chalky structuring dry extract and a long, intensely mineral finish. Given its tightly wound profile, my advice is to forget it in the cellar for a few years and work on the more open, outgoing 2014 in the meantime. ~97 Wine Advocate

A dazzling new edition of this wine, the 2016 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne is a world-class combination of 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay. This edition of ‘Cristal’ was given 7G/L dosage. Chalky minerals mark the nose alongside white grapefruit blossom, marzipan, star jasmine and suggestions of kumquat zest that all meld in the glass. The palate is filled with crushed seashells and wet salty stones that combine with rich melon, lemon rind and tangerine zest flavors that combine with suggestions of pastry crust on the palate. Big, round and generous, this exudes class in terms of length, tension and flavor density. A gorgeous wine in its heady youth, enjoy over the next twenty plus years to come. ~97 Owen Bargreen

This leads with pronounced minerality on the nose, but then a bright burst of tangerine, blood orange and Meyer lemon flavors on the palate hold sway, joined by rich hints of crème de cassis, toast point, pastry cream and crystallized honey. Showing beautiful integration and a refined, lacy mousse, this is compact and statuesque, with a sense of restraint and the hint of more to come, while at the same time offering lovely expression in the glass today. Fresh and focused on the persistent finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2044. 8,300 cases imported. ~ 96 Wine Spectator