Category: Champagne

Champagne Louis Roederer’s Cristal 2004 [June 2011 Tasting]

Roederer is one of the leading ‘Boutique’ Champagne houses, which became popular for their celebrated ‘Cristal’. Cristal became chic with celebrities, athletes, and hip hop artists.

Originally founded in the late 18th century, Roederer’s consumers were predominately from the Russian community. In 1876, Tsar Alexander II, a great fan of Louis Roederer’s champagne, asked Roederer to “go one step further” to produce, for his personal consumption, a wine unique in quality and bottle. Roederer created an exceptional white crystal puntless bottle to house the best selection from the seven finest vineyards of his estate, thus creating the very first Prestige cuvee of Champagne.
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Eight champagne enthusiasts gathered at Toronto’s LCBO Avenue Road Location on June 22, 2011 to taste Louis Roederer’s Cristal 2004.

Grape Varieties
55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay (20% of which is matured in oak casks with weekly batonnage).

Vinification
No malolactic fermentation occurs. Cristal ages an average of 5 years in the cellars and rests 8 months after disgorgement. Dosage between 8 and 10 g/l.

In the Glass
Unique golden color, combined with an ultra-fine, persistent, soft effervescence.

Bubbles
Ultra-energetic, rich and persistent bead.

On the Nose
The nose is intense and bursting with gorgeous aromas typical of great Pinot Noir grapes. Scents of sweet baked apples, white fruit, pollen, citrus with some mineral nuances.

The bouquet is rich and sweet, almost generous, remaining precise and impeccably refined.

On the Palate
Full and creamy, revealing concentrations of juicy fruits: peach, apricot, mango, with hints of grilled hazelnuts. There is a sophisticated touch of acid with some lively minerality.

The overriding impression is one of a true harmony of flavours, senses and silky textures.

Absolute sensuality!

Serving Suggestions
Nothing compliments Cristal better than caviar, oysters and lobster.

My rating: 95/100

Others:
The Wine Advocate rating: 97 Points
Wine Enthusiast rating: 97 Points
Wine & Spirits rating: 97 Points
Parker Points®: 96+
Wine Spectator rating: 93 Points

HARRODS Prestige Champagne Tasting – Saturday 6th August 6pm

Prestige Champagne Tasting – Saturday 6th August 6pm – 7.30pm – £110 per person

This is a fascinating head to head comparison of the crème de la crème of Prestige Champagnes, tickets for this tasting will be in very limited supply and only available for an intimate number of people. Tickets include a canapé matched with each wine, and will compare the following superb range of Champagnes: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999, Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque 2002, Louis Roederer Cristal, Dom Pérignon 2002, Pol Roger Winston Churchill 1999, Salon 1999, Krug 1998.

Places strictly limited to 16

Champagne Les Jeux: The NBA’s Signature Champagne

Hats, socks, t-shirts, balls, mugs – these are items that you would expect to find with the NBA logo proudly displayed. As of today champagne can now be added to this list!

Champagne Les Jeux is now the official NBA ‘Signature’ Champagne.

‘Les Jeaux’ is a French term meaning ‘The Game”.

It’s been reported that Shaq was sipping Les Jeux this weekend at his retirement party at Moon in Las Vegas.
Les Jeux was handpicked by Etienne Delpech from a family known for its superior knowledge of vineyards and excellence since 1777. This Cuvee Brut Prestige is a combination of 25% Chardonnay and 75% Pinot Noir, combined with family secrets that achieve its exceptional taste.

The NBA has given this closely held secret the opportunity to represent the Best of Basketball and invites you to join in the celebration with one of the worlds finest Champagnes. “A Toast to Champagne Les Jeux”!

Kate Moss Wedding – Grateful for being patient, Kate had a bottle of Moet delivered to each home

Newlyweds Kate Moss and Jamie Hince made a grand exit when they were airlifted out of the Cotswolds by helicopter.

The cover girl’s going away outfit was a cream Stella McCartney suit.

And the wedding after-party was a massive success – many of the A-list guests celebrated until the early hours of the morning, which included Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Jade Jagger and Meg Mathews.

Kate and Jamie’s wedding was an affair that lasted three days.

Grateful for the patience of locals over the celebration dubbed ‘Moss-stock’, the couple had a bottle of Moet champagne delivered to each household in their village.

Although the price of the marathon celebration has not been released, it’s estimated to have cost around £1 million.

The location of the honeymoon also remains unknown – although it’s been rumored that the happy couple were headed to Africa or Thailand for an adventurous getaway.

Monaco Royal Wedding Celebrated with Perrier-Jouet Champagne

The quintessence of joyful effervescence, glasses filled with Perrier-Jouët’s prestige cuvee Belle Epoque 2002 were raised today, July 3, 2011, to toast royal romantics H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, and his bride Princess Charlene.

The 500 guests who gathered on the terrace of the Opera Garnier drank in the surroundings as they sipped the official champagne chosen to celebrate the royal wedding at a dinner created by culinary master chef Alain Ducasse and the Monte Carlo SBM teams.

“Perrier-Jouët is greatly honoured to have been chosen for the royal wedding, ” said Lionel Breton, Chairman and CEO of Martell Mumm Perrier-Jouët. “Having accompanied for many years the Monaco’s Rose Ball and the Princess Grace Kelly, we are proud to be featured at the Prince Albert’s marriage with our most prestigious champagne”.