To bling or not to bling, 30 years of Roederer Cristal 1974-2004

I had high expectations for this tasting, but was also slightly worried, Cristal being a Champagne that altough very good indeed, have rarely excited me imensely. It's been a journey, somewhat like my Biondi-Santi journey, of utter dissapointment when tasting it the first time, because it didn't deliver what I thought it would. Both are far more elegant, nuanced, layered, secretive and seductive, and I started to see that with Cristal when I last tasted the 02 last summer and a 99 two years back. All that I had tasted before, especially the 02 that I have tasted many times since my inicial tasting of it at Sherry-Lehman's on Park Avenue (if I remember correctly, I think that was at it's launch (in October 08)) and tasted it steadily since have been lean and felt extemely closed, even kind of empty.

Not so this evening. First the 04.

2004 Roederer Cristal;
Straw yellow, tiny bubbles, extremely closed first, flinty minerals with air, refined palate, superb mousse, acidity fine and well integrated for Champagne, lively and very elegant. Oosing of lillys of the valley (Convallaria Majalis) with touches of lime and orange peel behind. Seems to loose some acidity and mousse after a while.... 93