Cristal Champagne is the prestige cuvée of Louis Roederer in Reims, created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II and recognised everywhere by its clear, flat-bottomed bottle. Here you will find Cristal Brut and Cristal Rosé across many vintages, from the standard bottle to magnum, double magnum and methuselah, along with late releases such as Vinothèque and Late Release.
Louis Roederer Cristal: the Champagne made for a Tsar
Cristal belongs to Louis Roederer, one of the few great Champagne houses still independent and owned by the family that runs it. The house was founded in Reims in 1776. In 1876 Tsar Alexander II, a devoted Champagne lover, asked for a cuvée reserved for the Russian court. He wanted a transparent bottle with a flat bottom, so that nothing could be hidden inside. A Flemish glassmaker produced it in clear lead crystal, which is where the name comes from.
Cristal only went on general sale in 1945. The bottle is still clear and flat-bottomed, and today it comes wrapped in cellophane that shields the wine from light.
Grand cru plots, biodynamic farming and long cellar ageing
Cristal is made only in years when the grapes reach full ripeness, so it is always a vintage Champagne. The fruit comes from 45 selected plots in grand cru villages, around 80 hectares in total across the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs. Since the 2012 vintage every bottle of Cristal has been made from biodynamically farmed grapes.
The blend is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, in recent vintages roughly 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay. Pinot Noir brings structure and depth, while Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs adds freshness and a fine, chalky tension. After bottling, Cristal rests for six to ten years in the house cellars before release.
Cristal Rosé, Vinothèque and Cristal in large formats
Cristal Rosé arrived with the 1974 vintage, almost a century after the first Cristal. It carries a higher share of Pinot Noir, largely from Aÿ, with Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. If you enjoy the style, compare it with other houses in our rosé Champagne selection.
Cristal Vinothèque was launched in 2017 with the 1995 vintage. It is Cristal that the house held back in its cellars for many extra years before release. You will also find other late releases here, such as Late Release and Collection Privée, which show Cristal with long additional bottle age.
Cristal also comes in bigger bottles. The range runs from the classic bottle through the magnum to double magnum, jeroboam and methuselah, many of them in a gift box or wooden case.
How to serve Cristal Champagne
Serve Cristal well chilled but not ice cold, so the fruit, the brioche notes and the minerality all come through. The house itself suggests sweetbreads, Bresse poultry or scallops alongside it. To compare it with another classic prestige cuvée, have a look at our Dom Pérignon range, or browse our full Champagne selection.
Cristal Champagne FAQ
Who makes Cristal Champagne?
Cristal is made by Champagne Louis Roederer in Reims, an independent, family-owned house founded in 1776.
Why is Cristal sold in a clear bottle?
In 1876 Tsar Alexander II asked for a transparent, flat-bottomed bottle for his Champagne. The clear bottle has stayed, and today a cellophane wrap protects the wine from light.
What grapes are in Cristal?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from grand cru plots, in recent vintages roughly 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay. The rosé has a higher share of Pinot Noir.
What affects the price of Cristal Champagne?
The vintage, the bottle size, whether it is Brut or Rosé, and whether it is a late release with extra cellar age.
How long can you keep Cristal?
Cristal is aged six to ten years before release, and good vintages can keep developing for many more years when the bottle is stored somewhere cool and dark.