Louis Roederer Cristal 1982

Was 1982 a good year in Champagne?

Published vintage charts rate Champagne 1982 5 out of 5 stars and 5 out of 5. Excellent ripeness and full character despite the record crop size. Consistently great, rich yet elegant, and the Chardonnays are particularly fine.

An ideal growing season producing one of the most generous yields in Champagne history, 14,054 kg/ha.

What the critics scored the 1982

One critic score is on record: 96/100, December 2018.

By score the 1982 ranks 20th of 39 (tied with 1967 and 1989) scored Louis Roederer Cristal vintages, 0.1 points above their review-weighted 95.9.

The 1980s by score: 1981 94.0, 1982 96.0, 1983 93.5, 1985 95.7, 1986 91.5, 1988 94.8 and 1989 96.0. The 1982 shares the decade's top score.

One of my all time favorites, the 1982 Cristal is magnificent. Fresh, nuanced and exceptionally beautiful, the 1982 remains one of the all-time great Cristals. Apricot, almond and chamomile nuances suggest the 1982 is just starting to turn the corner into its plateau of maturity. This bottle lacks a bit of excitement, but, then again, the 1982 Cristal is not exactly the sort of wine I get to taste on a regular basis, so it is possible this is not the best showing. Hopefully, I will get a chance to taste it again soon. Even so, well-stored bottles will drink well for another decade-plus. “In my opinion, 1982 is the first vintage of climate change in Champagne,” Lecaillon explains. “Sugars were higher than we were used to seeing. As a comparison, the 1981 Cristal is also concentrated, but it is concentrated by low yields. In 1982, we had high yields and elevated ripeness, meaning it was the sun that ripened the fruit.”

What drinkers rate it

94.0 out of 100 from 18 drinker ratings, the most recent in March 2025.

That is 2.0 points below the critics' score.

Drinker rank: 25th of 44. The most-rated vintage has 559 ratings.

5 written notes, December 2019 to March 2025, rating it 93 to 94.

Yes, I added a point or two out of respect. But the interest and enjoyment of this geriatric champagne is not to be denied. Elusive flavors beyond fruit. Endlessly complex yet easy to enjoy. I've had exceptional luck with this vintage and it's still holding on.

By no means a tired turkey, the ‘82 Cristal is extraordinarily complex and interesting - and much more lively than the ‘74 next to it. Medium dark. Still has a modest bead of ultra fine bubbles. Barely roasted apricot flavor. Almost oily. The more you sip it the more flavors you get, but only if you concentrate.

Fresher and more interesting than the previous bottle. Quite a few bubbles remain even if they fade quickly. Very complex and impressive.

Brad and Diane England and Peter Joseph weekend dinner, Part 2. (Roger Nellans home): A nice way to start the evening. Golden color. Slight pop when pulling the cork. Some pleasant oxidative notes. Citrus and nice acidity...

Very nervous opening this as it appeared a touch dark and I had recently opened a 93 Cris that was horribly oxidized. Surprisingly had quite a bit of effervescence still, nose was mature with marzipan, honey and subtle autolytic notes, acidity was quite lively and fresh, very fine and persistent bead, deep flavor profile that comes with age as the CO2 felt integrated into the wine, great balance and overall amazing bottle. This did develop rather quickly and started to oxidize with air. Would open soon if you are still holding onto these.

When to drink the 1982

2018 to 2028: 10 years, opening 36 years after the harvest.

Open at our 2026 snapshot, with 2 years to run.

Window length rank, longest first: 24th of 33 (tied with 1973, 1974 and 1977).

The 1982 against its neighbours

The 1982 beside its 4 nearest recorded years.

Here, by score, it places 2nd of 5.