Frédéric Rouzaud, President and CEO of Champagne Louis Roederer

Several years back, the Champagne world was buzzing about a line that was never uttered.

In 2006 Frédéric Rouzaud, president and CEO of Champagne Louis Roederer, was alleged to have said disparaging remarks, according to The Economist, an influential British magazine, about rappers who like his Champagne, Cristal: “We can’t forbid people to buy it. I’m sure Dom Pérignon or Krug would be delighted to have the business.” The statement made noise, and Rouzaud immediately denied it. It was “unwelcomed attention”: “I did not use this phrase and I did not imply such sentiment.” No one disputed it further, and the issue was considered over. However, the statement was revived when Zack O’Malley Greenburg, the well known journalist, wrote about rapper Jay-Z. An excerpt from Greenburg’s book was to appear in the Atlantic Monthly entitled “Jay-Z’s Great Champagne Robbery,” but was mysteriously pulled by The Atlantic. Details are still unclear about what happened. The allegation goes something like this: Jay-Z, who owns a Harlem nightclub, denounced for whatever reason Frédéric Rouzaud and Cristal, which was once his favorite Champagne, and replaced Cristal with Dom Pérignon and Krug as a snub to Rouzaud and Louis Roederer. Further, according to Greenburg, Jay-Z was in a business deal with a little known Champagne house called Armand de Brignac, which, with his rapping power, he assisted in giving Armand de Brignac significant public relations and marketing popularity. As a consequence the price for Brignac Champagne went from $50 to $300. Gossip and allegations aside, we report that Cristal is still the best Champagne in the world. Bollinger RD and Pol Roger’s Winston Churchill come close to Cristal’s quality. Cristal again won “Best of Show” at our annual “Best of The Best Vintage Champagne blind tasting.” It has nothing to do with its exalted price ($300 to $400, depending on vintage). It has everything to do with elegance, and in this it is in a class by itself. It’s also rich, sensual, deep, and long — the very archetype of great Champagne. As for Dom Pérignon, Krug, and La Grande Dame — all fine and expensive — recent vintages are not what they used to be. We suspect aging has everything to do with it. DP’s cuvée is too light and its finish hasn’t the depth of old; Krug Grande Cuvée is lacking the gorgeous generosity, richness, and depth it once had; La Grande Dame’s flavor and finish have been disappointing of late. As for Armand de Brignac, we suggest you look elsewhere for your Champagne pleasure. The high rating it once was given by some periodicals is now being seriously reconsidered by those in the wine industry. We find it difficult to take Jay-Z or Armand de Brignac’s price tag seriously.