Roederer/Louis Brut Rosé Champagne Cristal 2013

98-100 points Essi Avellan, MW: "55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. The palest peachy hue guides you to the seductive ripe and soft nose which comes with all the Cristal charms. Delicate peach and vanilla scented nose with cool rhubarb and floral notes speaking of supreme sophistication. On the palate it is fleshy and creamy with its crisp, driven acidity perfectly in balance with the pure fruity deliciousness. Stunningly polished and complete. (Feb 2023)"

99 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer's 2013 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage's bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it's also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, the 2013 isn't as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it's the 2013's alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that's so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region's tête de cuvée bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire. Drink: 2021-2061. (Apr 2021)"

99 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(tasted in 2021 in Australia; 45% chardonnay from one parcel in Avize and one in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, 55% pinot from two parcels in Aÿ, all biodynamic since 2007; 20% vinified in oak casks; no malolactic fermentation; Roederer ‘infusion’ method of maceration and blending; aged 6 years on lees; 7g/L dosage; cork; just 5% of Cristal production). The ascent of Cristal Rosé to the greatest rosé not only in Champagne but in the world today is complete, confirmed emphatically and unequivocally by the trilogy of 2008, 2012 and 2013, unparalleled anywhere on earth in living memory and, one must surely assume, ever. The pinpoint precision of the utterly seamless union between pinot noir and chardonnay displayed here is mesmerising in itself, but it is its juxtaposition with profound structure and tension that is most astonishing of all. A flash of malic acidity that brilliantly illuminates a landscape of stark white chalk from horizon to horizon plays out a drama like I have never before witnessed. Le Montrachet has chalk. Clos du Mesnil has chalk. But they have chardonnay. And malolactic. Cristal Rosé is founded fundamentally on Aÿ pinot noir. Yet it is inseparable from Avize and Le Mesnil chardonnay. Never before have the three united to such an emphatic declaration of chalk mineral purity. This is the most profound recipe, executed with intuition to perfection. It exudes an irresistible allure from the outset, yet make no mistake, its finest days are yet decades away, and this will prove itself to be one of the most enduring rosés history has yet witnessed. If the mythical Cristal Rosé 2008 and the transcendental 1996 are the greatest rosés I have ever tasted, 2013 ranks a mighty, mighty close third. (Edition VII; 2024)"

98 points Tom Hewson (TimAtkin.com): "55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. Made with Roederer's 'infusion' method. What is remarkable about this vintage is how the natural tension of this late, high-acid year is swathed in such a deceptively silky, seductive frame. There's no iron fist in the velvet glove, but rather a cool, unflappable handshake of subtle red fruits, sitting under fuzzy peach skin fragrance as the measured, chalky and citric persistence takes hold. As with the best Cristals, this is difficult to describe, such is the subtle harmony in the blend. One suspects it will be fairly immortal. (Dec 2022)"

98 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2013 Cristal Rosé is searingly intense right out of the glass, just like the Blanc, except it has a bit more fleshiness because of the skin contact on the Pinot. Cristal Rosé has one of the best track records for aging in Champagne. I suspect the 2013 will join the ranks of the epic vintages, but it is painfully tight today. The blend is 55% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ) and 45% Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) done in the classic Roederer infusion style in which Pinot Noir is vinified on the skins and then blended with Chardonnay to complete the fermentation. About 25% of the lots were done in oak, while malolactic fermentation was blocked. Drink: 2028-2053. (Mar 2021)"

98 points James Suckling: "Biscuit, white strawberry, peach, pie crust, chalk, pomegranate and pink grapefruit here. Cotton candy, too. Sharp and vibrant, with direct and linear character. Elegant, fine bubbles. Dry and delicate, yet powerful. Drink or hold. (8/8/22)"

98 points Jeb Dunnuck: "...A magical Champagne that's just about as good as it gets, the 2013 Cristal Rosé reveal a lighter salmon hue to go with a rich yet also subtle nose of orange blossom, white flowers, toasted brioche, and chalky minerality. It takes some coaxing but is incredibly complex aromatically and offers more spice, dried strawberry, and library book-like nuances as it sets in the glass. Richly textured on the palate, it's medium to full-bodied and has surprising opulence as well as a great mid-palate, all of which are balanced by a vibrant spine of acidity. It starts out seemingly soft and easygoing yet changes with air, and it possesses an incredible mix of suppleness, texture, and precision that is something to behold... Drink: 2021-2051. (4/30/21)"

98 points Wine & Spirits: "Cristal Rosé appears to be an effortless wine, a pleasure point somewhere between masculine strength and feminine beauty. The delicate rose color and lasting red fruit describe ripe peach, the scent of bee pollen, savory herbs and smoke, but what astonishes about this wine is the kind of power that pheromones have, well past the edges of perception... (Dec 2021)"

98 points Bettane & Desseauve Guide (2023).

97 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar) (Mar/Apr 2021).