Champagne Krug Brut Gran Cuvée Edition 171 with case
The 2015 Chardonnays and Meunier were showing some composure; therefore, I looked among the cooler vintages in our repertoire of reserve wines, including vintages from 2008, 2013 and even 2014, to bring liveliness and tension to the assemblage. In this Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée, there are also Chardonnays from warmer and more whimsical vintages, such as 2000 and 2006, which lend a certain patina and toasty quality. The exceptional 2015 Pinot Noirs were complemented by some 30 other expressions to give generosity, verve and structure. Finally, the Meunier were selected from the harvest of four different vintages to add a definite quality and some diversity to the final composition.
Tasting Notes
Golden color, fine and lively bubbles, a real promise of pleasure. Aromas of freshly bloomed flowers, ripe and dried fruit, marzipan, peppery bread and citrus. Grilled notes and flavors of almond paste, quince, lemon, limoncello and dried fruits. Each year, Maison Krug pays tribute to the dream of one man, Joseph Krug, with a new edition of Krug Grande Cuvée, the most generous expression of Champagne.
Description
Krug Grande Cuvée 171st Edition is an assemblage of 131 wines from 12 different vintages, the youngest of which dates back to 2015 while the oldest to 2000. Resting about seven years in the Krug cellars gives this Edition remarkable expression and elegance. In all, it took more than two decades of careful savoir-faire to taste this Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée, which represents the 171st recreation of Champagne's most generous expression.
Krug Grande Cuvée 171st Edition was composed from the 2015 harvest, a year marked by unprecedented heat and drought from late May through mid-August, slowing the development of the grapes. Fortunately, rains in the second half of August allowed the grapes to grow, with sunshine and reasonable temperatures providing optimal conditions. The harvest took place between August 31 and September 21, in the rain, with excellent heterogeneity among the various plots.
To create this Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée, the Chef de Caves sought to accentuate the year's varied and elegant aromatic expressions with reserve wines from different plots and 11 different vintages. The care devoted to the vineyards and the attention given by Krug to the unique properties of each plot resulted in the great expressiveness of this Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée. In total, reserve wines from the Maison's extensive collection make up 42 percent of the final blend, a contribution that brings the breadth and roundness that is indispensable to any edition of Krug Grande Cuvée. The final composition of this bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier.
