97 Louis Roederer, Cristal

It amazes me that glitterati the world over actually have taste this good. The 97 Cristal is a benchmark for tetes des cuvees, the highest-priced and most limited champagne offerings. It looks like a runway model, with long, throbbing legs of tiny bubbles that might as well be threads of pure gold. A cloud of aroma rains eggy brioche, custard, and spongey, autolytic yeast, as the taut structure makes me think long and hard about how sexy pinot noir and chardonnay are in harmony. It still feels very youthful, showing little more than a dry, chewy texture and the flavor of sour raspberries. I taste each sip for minutes, however, and more intensely with each breath. There's not much nuance yet, but this is a wine that will soon deserve to be one of the most sought after champagnes on the planet--by people of any class. Holler.