Journey to the North: A Cristal Dinner with Louis Roederer at La Fête du Champagne LA 2025
- EH
- Nov 4
- 7 min read
Tickets are now on sale on La Fête's Website for “Journey to the North with Louis Roederer & Cristal” – an exclusive Champagne dinner on November 14, 2025, at Juliet in Culver City.
This is one of the crown-jewel events of the inaugural La Fête du Champagne Los Angeles festival, offering a once-in-a-lifetime evening with Champagne legend Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon (Louis Roederer’s Chef de Cave) and an array of prestige cuvées including multiple vintages of Cristal. Below, we explore why this dinner promises to be an unmissable experience – from the festival’s allure and Roederer’s storied legacy, to Juliet’s acclaimed cuisine and the extraordinary Champagne lineup awaiting guests.
Journey to the North with Louis Roederer & Cristal
Dinner with Louis Roederer Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, exploring northern terroirs
Time: 7:00pm PT | Friday, November 14, 2025
Location: Juliet | 8888 Washington Blvd Suite 102, Culver City, CA 90232
Ticket price: $995 + tax
Wines being poured:
Champagne Louis Roederer, Collection 244 en magnum
Champagne Louis Roederer, Brut Nature 2018
Champagne Louis Roederer, Brut Nature Rosé 2018
Champagne Louis Roederer, Blanc de Blancs 2017
Champagne Louis Roederer, Vintage 2016
Champagne Louis Roederer, Vintage Late Release 1988 en magnum
Champagne Louis Roederer, Rosé 2017
Champagne Louis Roederer, Rosé Late Release 1998
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal 2016
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal 2012
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal 2008
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal Rosé 2008
What is La Fête du Champagne Los Angeles?
La Fête du Champagne is a renowned celebration of Champagne’s best, founded in 2014 by wine luminaries Peter Liem and Daniel Johnnes. After years of success in New York, this sparkling festival makes its way to Los Angeles in 2025, bringing together legendary grande marque houses and cult grower-producers, Michelin-starred chefs, and devoted oenophiles for three days of pure effervescent bliss. Attendees can immerse themselves in Champagne’s heritage through educational seminars, walk-around tastings of 100+ cuvées, and intimate dinners that showcase the region’s diversity. The Los Angeles edition promises all the glamour of L.A. as a backdrop, with events ranging from rooftop apéritif parties to grand tasting salons and lavish multi-chef gala dinners. In this sparkling lineup, “Journey to the North with Louis Roederer & Cristal” stands out as an ultra-exclusive dinner on Friday, Nov 14, 2025 – a deep dive into Champagne’s northern terroirs guided by one of the region’s most revered winemakers.
Louis Roederer: A Champagne House with History and Prestige
Few Champagne houses carry the pedigree and continuity of excellence that Maison Louis Roederer does. The estate traces its roots to 1776 and remarkably remains an independent, family-owned company even today. Louis Roederer (the man) inherited the winery from his uncle in 1833, giving it his name and a visionary international focus. By the late 19th century, Roederer was supplying Europe’s royal courts – most famously creating Cristal in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Cristal was the world’s first “prestige” cuvée Champagne, presented in a clear, flat-bottomed crystal bottle (to appease the Tsar’s security concerns) and made only in the finest vintages.
Over generations, the Roederer family built a reputation for quality, integrity, and innovation. They invested in extensive estate vineyards (over 240 hectares, largely Grand & Premier Cru), allowing control from vine to bottle and pioneering organic and biodynamic viticulture in Champagne. Today, under CEO Frédéric Rouzaud (7th generation) and Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Louis Roederer continues to set benchmarks. It produces everything from the multi-vintage “Collection” blends to single-vineyard still wines, but the crown jewel remains Cristal – an icon of elegance and refinement that “rewards patience” and can age for decades. Critics consistently rank Cristal among Champagne’s very best: for instance, the 2008 vintage earned multiple perfect 100-point scores and was hailed as “a perfect wine… Champagne simply does not get any better”. With such a legacy, having Louis Roederer's own cellar master hosting a dinner is a dream scenario for Champagne lovers.
Dining at Juliet: French Culinary Flair in the Heart of LA
Hosting this prestigious dinner is Juliet, a chic French-inspired brasserie in Culver City that has quickly become one of Los Angeles’s most talked-about new restaurants. Juliet offers a blend of Parisian elegance and California cool – “a gorgeous space with a contemporary French aesthetic,” including an open kitchen that buzzes with energy. By evening, the restaurant truly shines: guests are treated to thoughtfully crafted courses that marry French technique with seasonal California ingredients. (Think refined dishes like a mousse au foie de volaille tart with toasted hazelnuts and apple gelée, or sea bream with ratatouille and pistou – “simple but well executed” plates that have earned Juliet rave reviews.) The ambiance is modern yet intimate, with warm lighting and indoor-outdoor seating that’s equally suited for a romantic date night or a luxurious wine dinner.
Juliet has been earning accolades for its contemporary take on brasserie cuisine, from indulgent starters (oysters, tartares, and that silky foie gras tart) to exquisite mains and desserts (their crème fraîche cheesecake with passion fruit is a noted highlight). Importantly, the service and wine program are geared toward high-end experiences – perfect for a Champagne dinner. Throughout the “Journey to the North” event, Juliet’s kitchen will serve a special multi-course menu tailored to the wines, likely showcasing the best of local markets with French flair. Each course will be expertly paired to complement a specific Champagne flight, elevating both the food and the wine. The opportunity to enjoy Juliet’s cuisine alongside rare vintages of Cristal in the company of the winemaker is truly extraordinary. The setting promises to feel like an intimate dinner among friends and a legendary winemaker, in a space where fine food, fine wine, and great conversation flow together seamlessly.
The Roederer and Cristal Dinner Lineup: A Northern Terroir Journey
What truly sets this event apart is the once-in-a-lifetime lineup of Champagnes that guests will taste. Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon has curated a tour of Louis Roederer's finest wines, highlighting the “Journey to the North” theme by exploring grapes from Champagne’s cooler, chalky northern sites. From innovative new cuvées to library rarities, each wine in the progression is a showstopper:
Champagne Louis Roederer, Collection 244 en magnum
Champagne Louis Roederer, Brut Nature 2018
Champagne Louis Roederer, Brut Nature Rosé 2018
Champagne Louis Roederer, Blanc de Blancs 2017
Champagne Louis Roederer, Vintage 2016
Champagne Louis Roederer, Vintage Late Release 1988 en magnum
Champagne Louis Roederer, Rosé 2017
Champagne Louis Roederer, Rosé Late Release 1998
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal 2016
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal 2012
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal 2008
Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal Rosé 2008
Throughout this progression, guests will effectively sample the entire spectrum of Louis Roederer's artistry: low-dosage vs. traditionally dosed, blanc vs. rosé, younger vs. mature vintages, and terroirs from the Vallée de Marne to the Montagne de Reims to the Côte des Blancs. Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon will be on hand to provide color commentary and insights at each step, explaining how each wine reflects a different facet of Champagne’s northern terroirs and Roederer’s cutting-edge viticulture. Expect stories of how the house is adapting to climate change, experimenting with biodynamics, and pursuing ever-greater excellence in each cuvée. It’s a rare chance to learn directly from the man who makes these wines, even as you indulge in them. As the organizers put it, this dinner will be “as educational as it is indulgent” – a feast for both the mind and the senses.
Why This Experience Is Unmissable – and an Incredible Value
A Champagne dinner of this caliber is not just an event; it’s a once-in-a-generation experience for any wine lover. Consider everything that’s included in the $995 ticket (plus tax):
Dinner with a Legend: You’ll share an evening with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, one of Champagne’s most respected winemakers, in an intimate setting. It’s essentially a private masterclass with the creator of Cristal – something you cannot put a price on.
Twelve exceptional wines: The combined retail value of the Champagnes being poured far exceeds the ticket cost. Just a single bottle of Cristal 2008 sells for around $350 on the rare occasions you find it, and the Cristal Rosé 2008 can command exponentially more. The 1998 Roederer Rosé late-release is over $300 a bottle, and the Cristal 2012 and 2016 are about $300 each as well. Even the “entry” wines (Brut Nature, Blanc de Blancs, vintage rosé) are $70–$100+ per bottle in stores. All told, you’re looking at well over $2,500 worth of Champagne being uncorked for the group this night – an astounding array of top-scoring, highly allocated bottles. For serious Champagne enthusiasts, it’s like a dream flight that would be nearly impossible to recreate on your own.
Juliet’s gourmet multi-course menu: A comparable lavish dinner at a Michelin-guide restaurant in Los Angeles could easily run a few hundred dollars per person (before factoring in rare wine). Juliet’s menu is being custom-crafted to pair with each Champagne’s nuances, essentially giving you a Michelin-level tasting menu with courses likely featuring luxury ingredients and creative French technique. The value of the food, service, and ambiance – dining in a “bright, bustling brasserie” that “transports you straight to Paris” – is significant on its own.
When you add it up, the ticket price is a steal relative to the experience. You’re paying roughly what a single bottle of Cristal Rosé 2008 might cost, and in return getting a whole evening of world-class food, nine extraordinary pours, and personal interaction with the producer. The organizers have even hinted that seating is very limited and the bottles being opened are from Roederer’s own library reserves – meaning this isn’t something that will ever be repeated. In other words, the intangibles are off the charts: you’ll come away with memories, stories (like finally knowing what the elusive 2008 Cristal Rosé tastes like!), and a deeper appreciation for Champagne’s magic.
In conclusion, “Journey to the North with Louis Roederer” is the kind of event that justifies the hype. It combines the best of everything – a storied Champagne house at the top of its game, a flight of wines that collectors spend years chasing, a top-rated dining venue, and the festive atmosphere of La Fête du Champagne. Whether you’re a seasoned Champagne collector or simply someone who loves great food and wine, this dinner offers an unparalleled opportunity to indulge and learn. Given the limited seats and the already buzzing anticipation, securing a ticket may be the only challenge. If you do, you can expect an evening of “pure effervescence” and enlightenment in equal measure – truly a journey worth taking for any Champagne lover.
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