Winery · Reims

The Cristal Story: Assassination Champagne

Tsar Alexander II feared assassination, so 1867 Louis Roederer commissioned clear lead-crystal bottles (flat-bottomed, no hiding bomb beneath)—transparent Cristal saved his wine's prestige when assassins killed him by hand-thrown bomb in 1881, the ironic legacy endures.

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TourThe Cristal Story: Assassination ChampagneTsar Alexander II feared assassination so much that he demanded a flat-bottomed clear crystal bottle - no bomb hiding in the punt, no poison concealed in dark glass. Cristal was born from paranoia. The Tsar was assassinated anyway.

Wineries nearby

Winery Cryptoporticus of Reims - Underground Roman Galleries Beneath Reims' Place du Forum lies one of five cryptoporticus remaining in the Roman world: three U-shaped galleries from the 3rd century AD, vaulted in stone, decorated with colored bands.
Winery Louis Roederer The 1876 Cristal, created for paranoid Tsar Alexander II, remains the world's most famous prestige Champagne—sourced from 45 exceptional vineyards across Reims' three Grand Cru zones.
Winery Krug Joseph Krug founded his house in 1843 with obsession for "pleasure itself."