Roederer/Louis Brut Champagne Cristal 2002

100 points/'100 Best Wines of 2010,' Wine & Spirits: "If a wine could ever make you want to pull the top down on your '68 Ferrari convertible, rip off the rearview mirror and take off, this is it. It has a different kind of energy than the '02 Cristal Rosé, which is more ethereal, like strawberries at the right hand of some ancient Gallic god. This is more insolent, brash, earth bound. All the scents and flavors seem to emanate from limestone, as does the acidity, which hits at the front of the mouth and powers through the wine with the kind of solar energy that lifts mist off the white chalk on a cool morning in Cramant. The wine goes on for miles. It's already irresistible, and will only improve with ten, 20, 30 and 40 years of age. (Dec 2009)"

99 points Bettane & Desseauve's Guide to the Wines of France: "Still very youthful and vivacious on the palate, this is a pure, intense Cristal, with a silky texture that is enlivened by tiny, quick bubbles. Great potential, such that it would be a shame to drink it now, given how promising its future is. (2010)"

97-99 points Essi Avellan, MW: "(55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay). Medium-deep developing colour. Soft, open and inviting nose with plenty of character, baking spices, peach with charred and salty mineral notes. Intensity, power and expression, it has got it all. Long and charged with energy. This has plenty of time to go but has opened up nicely. A super Gold at the 2014 CSWWC in 75cl bottle and in magnum the Supreme World Champion Sparkling Wine in 2016 (98 p)! One of the all-time best Cristals. (Nov 2018)"

98 points Stephan Reinhardt (Wine Advocate): "Roederer's 2002 Cristal is a fabulous wine! Originally released in 2009, it was re-released in March this year—and was sold out in a very short time. The Cristal I tasted at Roederer in May 2018 was disgorged in 2010, after seven years sur lie. Its amazing richness and concentration makes it a forerunner of the 2015 and follows the 1999. Only two times—2002 and 2015—the fruit from all 42 plots reserved for Cristal was used for the Cristal. "I couldn't do any better blend than the one assembling all the 42 plots," says Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, stressing that at that time only two hectares were farmed biodynamically. As a result of the conversion to biodynamic farming, Lécaillon promised himself the production of even more beautiful, vital and balanced wines, and you can feel his satisfaction whenever he speaks of the cuvées that are yet to come such as 2012 and 2015, the latter of which he calls "the new 2002." Back to history: the nose of the 2002 Cristal shows a deep, ripe and elegant fruit with aromas of white chocolate, wet chalk, wild vanilla and pepper (typical for 2002) as well as terroir-driven truffle notes. Intense and very elegant in the mouth, this is a ripe, rich and concentrated yet also pure and vital Cristal with great finesse, elegance and mineral complexity. It's a sublime Champagne right now, although it's more wine than Champagne. Tasted in Reims in May 2018. Drink: 2018-2050. (6/29/18)"

98 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2002 Cristal is just entering its first plateau of maturity. Ripe, exotic and striking, the 2002 is all class. Apricot jam, ginger, spice, dried flowers and mint open first as the 2002 shows off its alluring personality. Pretty floral accents, apple tart and brioche build with time in the glass, bringing out added dimensions of freshness and energy. The 2002 was fabulous when I first tasted it just prior to release, and has consistently been outstanding. It is a rare Cristal made from all 45 parcels that comprise the estate, a telling sign of the high level of the vintage across the board. This is the original 2009 disgorgement. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. Drinking Window: 2023-2043. (Dec 2023)"

98 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(original disgorgement 2010; 40% chardonnay, 60% pinot noir; the first of the Cristal Collection Privée program, re-releasing the original disgorgement after 8 years on lees and 8 years on cork; 20% fermented in oak casks; no malolactic fermentation; just a few thousand bottles). An ethereal Cristal that encapsulates the magnificent 2002 season in a glorious, glowing straw-yellow hue, tinted with gold. Building incrementally in magnitude, body and power, this grand vintage is unravelling with incredible generosity, beginning to evolve from its primary fruits of white peach and pineapple, into a vast universe orbiting with roast nuts, melted butter, mixed spice, ginger, dried peach, baked fig, pâtisserie, toasted meringue, vanilla, even hints of incense. Its succulent, silky generosity contrasts the deep salt minerality and poise of legendary terroirs A true expression of 2002, rich, full, voluptuous and eminently ready to drink now. In magnum it is emphatically more youthful, elegant and refined, luminous in its bright straw hue, and intensely reductive, with struck-match notes. (2020-2021)"

98 points James Suckling: "A re-release of the original 2010 disgorgement. Super fine, super fresh and super savory aromas of chalky stones with hints of flowers, white almonds, lemon peel and grapefruit. The palate has intense, mouth-filling, lemon-curd flavor. Very powerful, very concentrated and very expressive. Smooth finish that’s full of life, leaving a bright, white cherry note. Drink in 2022. (9/2/19)"

98 points La Revue du Vin de France: "As for Cristal 2002 (60% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay) -- selected from the oldest vines, only Grand Cru and on the best terroir -- its density is exceptional; without harshness, it attacks within moderation and then draws a precise, harmonious, consistent silhouette on the palate, with unique resistance and yet rare finesse. The greatest Cristal since at least 1990. (2010)"

98 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Medium greenish-yellow, silver reflections, fine, well persistent mousse. Freshly scented notes of white apple underlaid with citrus-floral nuances but flanked by solid notes of pastry and nuts, candied orange zest, and a dash of cocoa. On the palate, juicy with a silky texture, fine nuances of sweet fruit and tropical fruit, white chocolate, richly refined acidity, elegant and long-lasting on the finish. At a lovely point in its evolution with excellent potential. Alcohol 12.5%. (12/31/18)"

98 points Wine Enthusiast: "This is an exceptional wine, as is the vintage. The fruits -- grapefruit, crisp red apple -- are balanced with a fine yeasty character. There is a great depth of flavor, the fruits going in a pure line of freshness. The one problem is that it is much too young, the result of the demand from the market for the next vintage. Age this wine for at least four years. (Dec 2008)"

97+ points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "I last tasted the 2002 Cristal back in the autumn of 2013, when the wine was still a bit on the young side, but it has now started to really blossom beautifully and is really entering its plateau of maturity in 2018. The 2002 Cristal is composed of a blend of fifty-five percent pinot noir and forty-five percent chardonnay, with none of the vins clairs having gone through malo and the finishing dosage ten grams per liter in this vintage. This has been a brilliant vintage of Cristal since its inception and at age sixteen, the wine is just beginning to properly blossom and show some of its secondary layers of complexity, The nose jumps from the glass in a refined blend of pear, apple, fresh almond, gentle smokiness, a touch of the tangerine to come, chalky soil tones and brioche in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and a powerfully-built vintage of Cristal, with a great core, elegant mousse, bright, racy and well-integrated acids and stunning mineral drive on the very long, complex and perfectly balanced finish. This is a great vintage of Cristal, and though it is now beginning to show some lovely generosity and secondary layering, a bit more cellaring would still be richly rewarded. 2018-2075. (Mar/Apr 2018)"

97 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "Twenty years is a sweet spot for Cristal said Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon during the Decanter masterclass in New York and this 2002 didn't disappoint. Floral notes and touches of iodine on the nose give both an appealing aroma and minerality balancing the lemon, sea salt, honeysuckle and nutty aspects. Lean and crisp on the palate, this is definitely more on the mineral side right now. The maturity is evident in the light, less immediately thrilling aspect to the acidity and fruit flavours, this is more calm, still full of richness and generous red fruit elements, juicy strawberry and tangy lemon and lime. A lovely, soft caressing Champagne that’s lost its fat. A charming and easy wine which really showcases the terroir. Drinking Window: 2023-2040. (6/10/23)"