1977 Louis Roederer Cristal

One of the surprises in this tasting, the 1977 Cristal is shockingly beautiful. Delicate and gracious in the glass, the 1977 is a bit slow out of the gate, but then gains freshness and focus with air. Candied orange peel, hazelnut, dried flowers and dried herbs give the 1977 its striking aromatic lift. Wonderfully alive and nuanced in every way, the 1977 is formidable tonight. I don’t see the 1977 developing much from here, but it is undeniably gorgeous right now. Above all else, the 1977 offers superb persistence and mind-blowing finesse. In a word: sublime.