Graduation, Father’s Day, a wedding, all occasions that warrant raising a glass of bubbly. This year perhaps a splurge is in order. Champagne Louis Roederer recently released the 2013 Cristal, the company’s tête de cuvée first created in 1876 for Czar Alexander II and not made annually. Using biodynamic grapes from old vines in a 60 percent pinot noir, 40 percent chardonnay blend, the golden bubbly aged for seven years has a lightly toasted, savory aroma, hints of tart plums, mouth-filling complexity and finesse for what is truly a special occasion quaff. The bottle itself has some uncommon features that were required by the czar: There’s no punt (indentation) in the bottom to prevent anarchists from hiding explosives there, and the bottle is clear, not green, so it’s easy to tell that nothing nasty has been added to the liquid.
Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal 2013, $219 (preorder), Crush Wine & Spirits, crushwineco.com; $269, Morrell & Co., morrellwine.com.
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