Louis Roederer Cristal Late Release Champagne 2008

The 2008 Cristal Late-Released is a special cuvee bottled to celebrate Cristal’s 150th Anniversary. It spent an added four years on the lees, which places it between the regular release and the Vinotheque in terms of aging. Explosive in the glass, the 2008 possesses off-the-charts textural richness and density, much of that coming from the shaking of the bottles during elevage (poignettage). That extra mid-palate resonance fills out the layers, resulting in a Cristal that is utterly profound. Unforgettable. Disgorged 2022. Drink 2028-2048. 100 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous

OMG. A masterpiece. A benchmark. Tight and structured, with fantastic precision and structure. Sharp line of acidity throughout, with fine and tight bubbles. Pineapple, lemon, white apricot, seashell, biscuit, blanched almond and a hint of chamomile. Vertical and mineral. Dosage 7g/L. Special release in magnum and aged two or three years longer on the lees than the normal bottling. I can’t go higher than this. Even better in a few years. 100 points James Suckling

The 2008 Cristal is a perfect wine, and Champagne simple does not get any better. This incredible wine offers a beautiful perfume of clean, crisp fruits, layers of complexity in its toasted spice and white flowers, and an utterly seamless, yet powerful style on the palate. This is a rich, decadent expression of Cristal yet it’s still crystalline and elegant, with no sensation of weight, and it just glides over the palate. Haut Couture at its finest and this majestic, profound, legendary Cristal can be drunk anytime over the coming 2-3 decades. 100 points Jeb Dunnuck

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. 100 points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast Magazine