Champagne Crystal: an overview of the taste and types + how to distinguish a fake
The history of Cristal champagne began in the mid-70s of the nineteenth century, during the reign of Russian Emperor Alexander II.
Once he tried Louis Roederer champagne in the classic version and was delighted with the taste of the drink. He sent his personal winemaker to France to work with Louis Roederer to produce a new sparkling wine with the taste the emperor wanted - Crystal champagne.
In 1876, the elegant Cristal champagne was born, earning a reputation as a drink of the highest quality.
Learn more about Crystal
The champagne is produced from grape varieties grown on the Grand Cru lands located on the territory of Louis Roederer's property.
The grapes require special care to adapt to the characteristics of different soils.
Also, "individual" viticulture methods are used, thanks to which an exceptional degree of grape maturity is achieved.
To obtain a perfect and luxurious taste, the resulting wine is subject to aging in special barrels in the basement for a period of at least 6 years and 5 months.
Types of Cristal champagne
Cristal estate
Champagne with a pleasant balanced taste.
It is made from Chardonnay (about 40%) and Pinot Noir (about 60%) grape varieties.
It is characterized by exquisite purity and an incredible long-lasting aftertaste.
The silky texture reveals fruity aromas, complemented by mineral tones, which contain tones of white and citrus fruits.
This sparkling wine can be stored for more than twenty years without losing its freshness and character.
Cristal Rose
Champagne that gives you a rich aromatic bouquet from the first seconds of drinking it.
It is made from Pinot Noir (about 55%) and Chardonnay (about 45%) grape varieties, 20% are allocated to wines whose vinification took place in large oak barrels.
The aroma of sparkling wine reveals delicately sweet motifs of white flowers, red fruits, caramel and Taten cake.
Champagne is characterized by a wide rounded texture, which from the very beginning stands out with elegance and is complemented by a strong structure.
The wine has a pleasant fresh hue, which makes the taste more delicate and clear.
In addition, there are a number of variations of the drink, which can be distinguished by the years of production (vintage series).
How to distinguish a fake Cristal
A few tips to follow when choosing Cristal:
Read the inscriptions on the label, they must be written correctly without errors.
The label of the original bottle is glued on neatly, without any glue stains or distortions.
Champagne is bottled in designer bottles that have reliable protection against counterfeiting.
The bottle bears the coat of arms of the beverage manufacturer - the letters "LR", which begin the double name of the manufacturing company.
The original bottle has an impeccable appearance, no scratches or other technical imperfections, and the foil is neatly rolled up near the neck.
Cristal belongs to expensive champagnes, so if you come across a variant at a suspiciously low price, then beware of counterfeiting.
Pay attention to the presence of an excise stamp, which is mandatory for products manufactured abroad.
Cristal champagne belongs to the elite drinks and the manufacturer, of course, made sure that its product was difficult to fake. But despite this, we advise you to carefully examine the bottle of the drink before purchasing it to avoid misunderstandings.
Update: 12.05.2018
Category: Wine and Vermouth