Krug is the breathtaking view at the summit of great Champagne. It is loved, cherished and revered by collectors and critics alike. Their vintage and single vineyard Champagnes are the epitome of terroir and winemaking, yet it is their non-vintage that is perhaps the most impressive of all. Krug NV is not a conventional non-vintage at all, rather it is made from a predominant base vintage, which establishes its core, then blended with many other vintages, hence the consideration as non-vintage. Krug views it as the ultimate expression of their craft, the house speak of it as ‘the sun, around which all other satellites orbit’.
Krug have now pushed the envelope further, rightly moving the non-vintage into a class of its own. In 2016 Krug released their first ‘Krug Edition’ named 163 which marked the 163rd release of their Grand Cuvee, running from the inception of Maison Krug in 1843. Last year this was followed by Krug 164 and today we are delighted to release Krug 165. This year’s release is an astonishing blend of 127 wines from 12 separate vintages. The oldest vintage is the exceptional 1990, the youngest the 2009. This displays the value of the 165 Edition, Krug’s 2009 vintage will be considerably more expensive and many collectors would like to compare it to the 165 Edition, with its high preponderance of 2009. The final composition is 47% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier.
The Krug Editions now replace the Krug non-vintage and it is a clear marker that they view their non-vintage as a cut above the rest, we do also. In fact, their non-vintage competes with and exceeds most vintage prestige Champagnes. It is telling that it undergoes eight years ageing in the Krug cellar, which helps deliver the incredible complexity, tension and nuanced profile. It also exceeds the ageing period which most leading prestige vintage Champagnes undergo and it is no coincidence Krug are releasing their 2009 based Edition as most other houses release their vintage Champagnes. This Edition was corked in Spring 2017.
Each bottle displays an ID used to check the disgorgement date, the range of vintages that form the Cuvee and access other information including a suggested musical accompaniment on the Krug; the 165 Edition’s code is 416036. As haughty as this sounds, why not try their recommended music pairings, which are: “khatia buniatishvili piano concerto no. 5 in e-flat, op. 73 “emperor”: iii. Rondo – Allegri or Beethoven – Van Cliburn & Chicago symphony orchestra & Fritz Reiner.
Krug 165 Edition has not yet been tasted, however the 163 and 164 Editions both received 96 points form Richard Juhlin. The 165 is surely destined for another astounding score. Priced today at £625, this is a must have collector’s item, the level of quality is astonishing.
Krug Grande Cuvee, 165 Edition, 6×75 – £625 IB
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