($179) Very strong mousse. Deep, yeasty aromas dominated by toffee, butterscotch and toast. Quite powerful but already harmonious, with real thickness of flavor and oily extract leavened by ripe acidity. Very fresh in the mouth, with very ripe hints of yellow fruits and strawberry complicated by leesy and toasty flavors in the background. A large-scaled, extremely backward wine that should develop for a decade or two in bottle. This is looking like a great vintage for both Cristal Brut and Rose.

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Considerably shyer and more discreet than the ecstatic rosé of the same vintage. Initially just a youthfully floral, tranquil nose that merges into expressive grape ripeness and buttery complexity. Perfectly balanced, purebred finesse on the palate, with crystal-clear aromas and a lively development and taste transformation in the mouth. An extremely femininely composed, classic Cristal, with handsome aromas of liquorice, vanilla, apples, and butter toffee—and a fabulous finish. More uniform as time passes and actually much worse quality than expected, in step with the insipid, neutralising process of maturity.

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Delicate and firm, especially for 1995, offering dough and citrus on a light-bodied frame. Not the most complex today, but should improve with time.

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