Vinous - 97 points
The 2004 Cristal is superb today. Bright and focused, the 2004 shows all of the tension and energy that has always been one of its signatures. The first hints of aromatic maturity are starting to develop, but the 2004 remains quite young and full of energy. I have always admired the 2004 (along with the best wines of the vintage) for its focus. In this bottle, the interplay of freshness from the recent 2018 disgorgement and richness gained through added time on the lees (which also results in lower dosage of 7 grams per liter) opens another window into the personality of Cristal. In 2004, the Pinot Noir is 57%, or a bit lower than normal, while the Chardonnay at 43% is correspondingly a touch higher. (12/2019)
Wine Enthusiast - 97 points
Exceptionally rich and dense, an exceptional wine that reveals itself in layers, from the first fruit attack to the mineral texture and the way it gradually fills the mouth. Selected from old vines, there is a great flavor in this wine, with the promise of many years' aging. (12/2012)
John Gilman - 96+ points
The 2004 Cristal strikes me as an absolute classic vintage for this iconic bottling, but it will only really show its complete potential with extended bottle age. This was a warm vintage that produced beautifully ripe, but not overripe grapes and a very fine harvest season that allowed grapes to be collected in optimal condition throughout the different Champagne sub-regions. It was also the largest crop on record in Champagne up to that time, as the pent up energy of the vines from the torrid and atypical summer of 2003 allowed for a very, very generous cropload the following year. Twenty to twenty-five percent of the 2004 Cristal was barrel-fermented, with some battonage used for a percentage of the cuvée. The nose on the ’04 is deep and utterly refined, wafting from the glass in a blend of apple, pear, brioche, a lovely touch of orange zest, a beautifully complex base of chalky soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully-balanced, with a lovely sense of reserve, superb mid-palate depth, zesty, pinpoint bubbles, crisp acids and laser-like focus on the nascently complex and stunning length and grip on the dancing finish. One can certainly drink the 2004 Cristal today with great enjoyment, but the real fireworks here are not going to start until this wine has rested quietly in the cellar for another decade! A stunning Cristal (3/2018)
Specifications
| Country | France |
| Region | Champagne |
| Vintage | 2004 |
| Grape | Pinot / Chardonnay |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Gift Box | Included |
| ABV | 12.5% |
| Food Pairing | Shellfish, Crab, Lobster |
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