Roederer/Louis Brut Champagne Cristal 1999

98 points Pierre Rovani (Wine Advocate): "One of the finest Champagnes I have ever brought to my lips, the 1999 Cristal bursts from the glass with fresh hazelnut and apple scents. Elegant, deep, and silky-textured, this medium to full-bodied beauty is immensely concentrated, pure, packed with apple flavors, and astoundingly long in the finish. Louis Roederer does not display a disgorgement date or consumer friendly lot number on its non-vintage Brut. This is regrettable as it has consistently been one of the finer bottlings in this category. (Dec 2005)"

97 points (18.5/20) La Revue du Vin de France: "Released early, the [1999] Cristal (55% pinot noir, 45% chardonnay)... achieves high density and ripeness; taut, still in its adolescence, it deserves to be held for aging. (2007)"

97 points James Suckling: "From the family collection, disgorged ten years after harvest, slightly lower than original dosage. A warm year, the hottest since 1959 at the time, this has high ripeness and plenty of spice, a touch reductive, gentle citrus peel and some candied tropical fruits, clear chalk, dried honey and brioche too. The palate has a compression to it, smooth and finely layered texture here, some flesh and some succulent texture, generous dried red cherry fruit flavours pressed together with layers of more savoury autolysis. Complex and textural Champagne. (3/22/12)"

94-96 points Richard Juhlin: "I seldom have the opportunity of enjoying a whole bottle on my own, but when I sat down in the Continental Restaurant in Reims on a job trip and saw that this new vintage of Cristal had just been launched in secret, I was unable to resist the temptation. I sat for hours and sipped at it until I had emptied the whole bottle, and with a smile on my lips I strolled out to the magnificently illuminated cathedral in the autumn night. I can sum up my detailed impressions briefly by saying that the aroma was weak and immature while the flavour had a fairytale elegance, concentration and classicism. Time will tell where we finally end up. (Feb 2009)"

93-96 points Essi Avellan, MW: "(55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay). Still youthful in colour. Deep yet fragrant, super stylish nose of honey, meadow, apples and caramel. Really intense, soft and creamy palate with a caressing, velvety element to it. The acidity has less of a role here than in most Cristals, this is really mellow and creamy. Pure pleasure. (Oct 2013)"

95 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(7-8 g/L dosage). After the hottest summer in Champagne since 1959 (though 2003 trumped it) this is a rich Cristal that has hit its peak. Candied citrus rind and fig fruit is upheld amidst the secondary development of rich, spicy, biscuity complexity and the beginnings of smoky tertiary maturity. Phenolic texture works surprisingly well in this generaous style, with a subtly chewy mouthfeel. Be sure to catch it before it begins to dry out. (2016-2017)"

95 points Wine Enthusiast: "A powerful Cristal, which has all the richness of the 1999 vintage. The aromas of white flowers and cocoa lead to a palate that is rich, intense, concentrated, but restrained. It is already drinkable, but should mature well. (Nov 2006)"

95 points Wine & Spirits: "The precision of the flavors in this vintage of Cristal is riveting. They feel substantial, complete, youthful and extremely long even as their aromatic intensity remains subtle, layered in scents of fresh apple, brioche and yellow plum. But the integration is such that rather than emphasizing individual elements, the wine brings to mind words like brisk, elegant, refined. A beauty to drink now, though it will have more to offer with age. (Dec 2006)"