2007 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne

(96 points)  The 2007 Cristal is comprised of a blend of fifty-eight percent pinot noir and forty-two percent chardonnay, with fifteen percent of the vins clairs barrel-fermented this year. The base wines did not undergo malolactic fermentation for the 2007. The wine spent five years aging sur latte and was finished with a dosage of 9.5 grams per liter. Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon is very pleased with the potential of the 2007 Cristal, which he feels hails from an under-appreciated vintage in Champagne. The wine offers up a beautiful young nose of pear, apple, patissière, a gorgeous base of limestone minerality, very gentle spice tones, hints of the smokiness to come, a touch of fresh almond and a lovely topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with brisk, well-integrated acids, laser-like focus, very elegant mousse and outstanding length and grip on the focused and still very youthful finish. The balance here is impeccable and the wine is certainly approachable today, but its true zenith is still a good eight to ten years down the road. A beautiful wine. Drink between 2016-2050.  (4/2018)  John Gilman