This exceptional vintage offers an intense, bright and luminous golden hue with dynamic effervescence and a continuous stream of fine bubbles. The concentrated and candied citrus fruit bouquet mingle delicately with notes of grain and lightly roasted almonds, creating an intense and fragrant aroma of great purity.
On the palate, the fruity notes are complemented by soft bubbles that are perfectly integrated, giving a silky texture and deliciously elegant taste. The spicy and sappy structure resulting from partial ageing in large oak vats (foudres) adds a dense, juicy, and concentrated flavor to the wine. The finish builds to a crescendo, revealing a rich grainy and velvety texture that is wrapped in a long, saline, and superbly elegant finish.
Critic Ratings
James Suckling Review - Rated 98:
This has wonderfully pure fruit aromas, such as peaches, Asian pears and golden apples, alongside lemon curd, gingerbread, chalk and jasmine. Rock salt and oyster shells follow on the palate, which is so seamless that you scarcely notice the super-fine bubbles. It’s concentrated yet gentle at the same time, with impressive resolution and integration of all components. Salty and creamy at the very-long finish. Fantastic! 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay. Drink or hold.
Robert Parker Wine Advocate Review - Rated 96:
The finest rendition since 2013, the 2016 Cristal has turned out beautifully. A vintage that Lecaillon describes as “difficult in the vineyards but beautiful in the cellar,” it had suffered slightly in reputation due to the gloomy mood during the challenging growing season, but the results are indeed impressive. The fifth edition produced entirely from organically farmed and certified fruit, and heavily based on Pinot Noir, the 2016 represents the contemporary quality of Cristal, combining the concentration of 2002 with the precision and cut of 2013. Disgorged in July 2024 with a dosage of seven grams per liter, it opens in the glass to reveal a bouquet of lemon zest, white flowers and peeled almond, framed by youthful reduction. On the palate, it is bright and electric, with a pure core of fruit, pinpoint mousse and a textural attack, concluding with a long, saline finish. Drink it alongside the 2015, and it will illuminate its clarity and integration.
