Roederer Cristal Magnums – New Release 2013 (99pts) and Sharply Priced 2012

Those who have never tasted Cristal would be forgiven for thinking it might be overhyped, a clichéd nightclub indulgence for celebrities or a throwaway line on a 90s rap track. However, for Champagne aficionados who are guided by quality not labels, Cristal is highly regarded as one of the greatest of the Grande Marque cuvées one can buy. Furthermore, from magnum – arguably the perfect sparkling wine vessel – it is a hallowed experience seldom topped. We are, therefore, thrilled to be able to offer a small number of Cristal magnums from two spectacular vintages: 2013 and 2012.

The 2013 magnums have just been officially released by Roederer, priced at £425 IB per magnum, and are being shipped direct from the Maison. Last year, a respected Champagne critic told us that in her opinion 2002 and 2013 are the best vintages in the past 30 years. Having tasted Cristal 2013 en magnum it is hard to disagree: it is truly magnificent – toasty, dry and savoury, with the fresh enticement of warm baked bread on the nose, then explosive citrus and lean pinot notes. This is electric, saline and full of energy and intensity, wonderful vitality and bright, crisp, tight skinned red berry and citrus fruits that explode across the palate, abridged by fantastic acidity. This will always be an exciting Cristal built around energy and sheer verve, a must-have which has been rated by most critics as one of the best ever made.

Alongside this, we have sourced a small parcel of 2012 magnums as well, sharply priced at £395 IB per magnum. The reputation of 2012 as a Champagne vintage has already been cemented, with its ripe, fruit-forward style drawing some comparisons with 2004 and 2008. 2012 is generally seen as one of the more muscular and concentrated vintages of the past two decades and the wines will need time to fully show their cards, though 2012 Cristal has already garnered high praise from critics. Whilst 2013 probably has the edge of the two, with its slightly racier style, the opulence of the 2012 is quite something to behold. Tasting the two vintages side by side in a few years’ time would be a treat indeed.

The 2013 Cristal (magnum) is outrageously beautiful. A Champagne of stature and pure breeding, the 2013 is so impressive from the big bottle. There is a timelessness to Cristal in magnum that is so special in how the wine ages at the most gradual pace. The purity of the fruit is striking, as is the added touch of mid-palate richness from extended time on the lees in magnum. Sweet floral and chalk notes run through a core of layered citrus and orchard fruits, all framed by the silkiest of contours. Disgorged 2024. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media - 99 points (Apr 2025)

One of the greatest wines of Louis Roederer’s contemporary chapter, the 2013 Cristal continues to impress. Tasted from magnum, which was disgorged in September 2024 with a dosage of 7.5 grams per liter, it wafts from the glass with a bouquet of white flowers, lemon zest and toasted hazelnut, mingling with iodine and smoke. Qualitatively speaking, it's “a copy of 2012 with a month longer growing cycle,” summarizes Lecaillon, and it's indeed true that these two wines represent the high points of the of the decade so far—as only time will tell what Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon will achieve with 2019. Expecting a crystalline, electric wine, given the cool, late-ripening season, the 2013 indeed delivers a Champagne that is bright, with incredible clarity and concentration, even if it’s undeniably a leaner version than its immediate predecessor. Since its release, I've enjoyed the 2013 Cristal several times from my own cellar, but having the opportunity to appreciate it from a magnum delivered an even more textural and seamless experience, emphasizing its chalky personality and laser precision. Kristaps Karklins, The Wine Advocate - 98 points (Apr 2025)

The 2012 Cristal is the first made entirely from biodynamically farmed vineyards. Passionfruit, mango, spice and ginger open first, but it is the wine’s textural richness and volume that stand out most. The 2012 is one of the most opulent, flamboyant recent Cristals. Those qualities feel especially amplified in this tasting, perhaps because of the presence of wines from the surrounding vintages. It was a complicated season, as mildew reduced yields significantly, resulting in an especially rich Cristal that seems to be gaining intensity with time in bottle. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2020. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media - 98 points (Dec 2023)

Aromas of clear honey, crisp green orchard fruit, white peach, pastry cream and dried white flowers introduce the 2012 Cristal, a full-bodied, concentrated and powerful wine that's built for the cellar. Broader, more textural and more muscular than the 2008 Cristal, with seemingly even greater reserves of structuring dry extract, the 2012 is incisive and searingly chalky. This is the first Cristal produced exclusively from organically farmed fruit, and it marks the opening of a new chapter for Louis Roderer. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, vinified without malolactic fermentation and disgorged with 7.5 grams per liter dosage. Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon has once again excelled himself. William Kelley, The Wine Advocate - 97+ points (Dec 2019)