Cristal 1993 in magnum is a mature vintage of Louis Roederer's prestige cuvée. It was overshadowed by the 1990 and the mid-1990s vintages, and it has aged into a mellow, pastry-rich Champagne that the magnum format suits well.
About This Champagne
Lécaillon has described 1993 as close to perfect until the end of August, after a fine summer, and then it rained through most of September. That gives a lighter, more open Cristal than the great years. Its charm comes from bottle age rather than power. In a late-disgorged magnum tasted in 2023, Vinous found lemon confit, marzipan, dried flowers, baked apple tart and brioche. The house nearly chose 1993 to launch its Vinothèque late-release programme before settling on 1995. Magnums age more slowly than bottles, and this format shows the vintage at its freshest today.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Candied lemon, marzipan, dried flowers and baked apple, with brioche and a light smoky edge.
- Palate: Soft and creamy, with gentle mousse, orchard fruit and pastry, and enough acidity to stay lively.
- Finish: Medium to long, with nutty, toasty notes and a touch of reduction.
Serving & Food
Pour at 10 to 12°C into a tulip or white wine glass; the second glass usually shows more than the first. Best over the next few years. Scallops in brown butter, crab with ginger and spring onion, or shavings of aged Parmesan.
How to Enjoy
Four to six friends who enjoy the honeyed, nutty side of older Champagne.
Product Details
Producer: Louis Roederer
Cuvée: Cristal
Vintage: 1993
Country: France
Region: Champagne (Reims)
Grape Variety / Blend: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Style: Prestige vintage Champagne
Format: 1.5L magnum
About the Maison
Louis Roederer traces its roots to a Reims wine business set up in 1776. Louis Roederer inherited the firm in 1833, gave it his name and began buying vineyards at a time when most houses simply bought grapes. That habit shaped everything since: the house now farms roughly 240 hectares across the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs, and it is still independent and family owned, run today by Frédéric Rouzaud.
Cristal was first made in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II, who asked for a flat-bottomed, clear bottle so nothing could be hidden beneath it. It went on general sale after the Second World War. It is made only in years the house thinks worthy, from its own grand cru vineyards, and each bottle is wrapped in gold cellophane to shield the clear glass from light.