Professional reviews
Robert Parker (98)
Disgorged in September 2017 with 7.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Cristal was produced from 37 of the 45 parcels that are candidates for inclusion in this cuvée—some 40% of which were farmed organically back in 2008—and it's a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The finest young Cristal in decades, the wine wafts from the glass with a pure and vibrant bouquet of crisp orchard fruit, clear honey, warm brioche, citrus zest and white flowers. On the palate, it's full-bodied, intense and incisive, with superb concentration, racy acids and a long, searingly chalky finish. Pristinely balanced, there are some 500,000 bottles of this legend-in-the-making.
Winespectator (97)
There's a sense of focus and vibrancy to the overall structure, while the palate is all grace and charm. A fine, lacy texture carries a tapestry of ripe white cherry, toast point, blood orange zest, honey and ground ginger notes, with a minerally, mouthwatering finish. A stunning Champagne with a long future ahead of it.
James Suckling (100)
One of the masterpieces of this exceptional vintage (the last that was this cool). Ravishing nose of Amalfi lemon and white peach with hints of white chocolate, chamomile and oyster shell. Super-elegant and tightly structured with a hint of creaminess on the mid-palate adding tension. Very long steely finish carried by the linear mineral acidity. A cuvée of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, part of which (unusually for Cristal) underwent malolactic fermentation. Getting very scarce on the secondary market, partly because of the great aging potential! Tasted at the Cristal vertical tasting at the champagne house on July 6th, 2023. Drink or hold.
Jasper Morris (99)
Wine maker Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon reckons this is his best Cristal to date, and I’m rather inclined to agree with him! Cristal has been on a role since the classical 2002 vintage, Jean-Baptiste has been “tweaking” the Cristal formula, making small adjustments that have clearly paid dividends. A dazzling combination of precision, finesse and immediate complexity, the 2008 vintage Cristal is just astonishing. A wine that is almost impossible to describe (unless we want to start a game of fruit bingo), the vanilla dusted fruit is suave and sophisticated, gliding seamlessly along the palate. Intense and weightless at the same time, with mid-palate weight and a phenomenally long finish, this wine is lacking in no area. A Champagne that will age effortlessly for decades to come. Only the first time I’ve scored a wine 99/100 on potential, and I’ve yet to taste the magnum.
BOW (9)
Falstaff (100)
Light greenish yellow, silver reflections; fine, persistent mousse. Fresh white peach note, light tropical fruit, mineral, incredibly youthful and purist. On the palate complex, fine yellow tropical fruit nuances, a touch of peach and apple, tight-knit, firm body, very vital, energetic acidity, dynamic, lemony-salty touch, has an immensely long finish. Certainly has the potential to age for many years, finesse and richness as never before.
Wine Enthusiast (100)
This latest incarnation of the famous brand is a superb wine. It is on par with, maybe even better than, the already legendary 2002. Its balance is impeccable: Apple and citrus flavors working with the tight minerality to give a textured yet fruity wine. Produced from Roederer's own vineyards which are mainly biodynamic, the wine has its own intense purity and crispness. It has amazing potential and is likely to age for many years. Drink from 2020.
