The world's wine critics haven't had a chance to review Louis Roederer's latest expression in the Cristal Vinothèque series, but you can expect a raft of huge scores when they do. The 1997 has been held back for additional ageing and is now finally being released a quarter of a century after the grapes were picked. This is one that needs to be firmly on your radar as Robert Parker's Wine Advocate has previously called 1997"one of the'sleeper'vintages of Cristal."This is only the fifth release of the ultra-rare Cristal Vinothèque by Champagne Louis Roederer, and the House say that it's"A magnificent expression of a mature Champagne, concentrated by the passing of time yet, at the same time, so fresh and refined."Harvested in 1997 - a vintage rated as'Outstanding'by the experts at Wine Advocate despite an unpromisingly cold start - this wine has been almost 25 years in the making. It has been aged"sur lattes"(horizontally on the lees) for 15 years, followed by five years"sur pointes"(vertically with the lees in the neck of the bottle), and four years after disgorgement (removal of the lees). Despite all that time, it still has remarkable dynamism and vigour; tasting like white blossom, nougat, marzipan, macaroons, Amalfi lemons, smoked sea salt, macadamia nuts, toasted hazelnuts, caramelised edges of an apple pie and faint hints of red fruit sorbet from the Pinot Noir. Electric energy, unfathomable richness and so much potential, this is a wine of radiant beauty. Established in 1776, Louis Roederer is one of the few remaining independent, family-owned Champagne houses. By 1876 the House had achieved such a reputation for quality that the second Louis Roederer was asked by Tsar Alexander II to create a new Champagne, Cristal, for the exclusive use of the Russian Tsars. Made exclusively from the best grapes of Louis Roederer's own vineyards, which are all organically farmed and many are in conversion to biodynamic. It is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, of which a portion has been vinified in oak, giving the wine a full, round body and texture that is characteristic for the House style. Each bottle comes beautifully presented in a decorative box making it the perfect gift for wine connoisseurs.£130 per 100.00ml