Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition
A Tribute to Time
A decade before the presentation of Krug Grande Cuvée 173ème Édition, crafted around the harvest of 2017, Maison Krug revealed Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition, composed around the harvest of 2007. A very limited number of these bottles have been carefully kept in the Krug cellars, awaiting their chance to be rediscovered. This rare case, “A Tribute to Time” is an opportunity to experience how Krug Grande Cuvée develops in complexity and patina through the passage of time.
Every year since the foundation of the House of Krug in 1843, a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée, the most generous expression of Champagne, is created in tribute to the dream of the House’s founder Joseph Krug. His vision was to craft the best champagne he could offer, every single year, regardless of climate variations.
Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition is a blend of 145 wines from 12 different years, the oldest dating back to the 1990 harvest and the youngest from 2007. Blending so many different wines from different years lends a generosity of flavours and aromas that would be impossible to express with the wines of just a single year. It is the full orchestra playing in complete harmony the symphony of Champagne.
This champagne was first presented in 2015 after a rest of around 7 years in the cellars. After an additional decade of evolution, Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition emerges with a more mature aromatic profile, revealed only through time. Over 30 years have been necessary to enjoy this Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée as it today.
TASTING NOTES
At first sight, Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition reveals an intense straw-gold yellow. Intense and expressive aromas of pastry, French toast, vanilla, orange marmalade and candied fruit are accompanied by toasty, smoky notes which add depth to the nose.
On the palate, flavours of custard, frangipane, candied fruit, and tarte tatin gain in roundness, fullness, generosity and unctuousness. A contrasting finish with great length, beautiful bitters, slight saltiness and candied lemon. The freshness that makes the finish soar, a testament to a cuvée that stands the test of time.
“This maturity brought on by time highlights Krug Grande Cuvée's ability to reconcile paradoxes in a single sip. While the frequencies are lower, the tones deeper and the colours warmer, the finish is as long and vibrant as ever around the fresh citrus fruit so dear to the Maison. This reconciled contrast gives the older Éditions of Krug Grande Cuvée an assurance, a wisdom, in a way a certainty that they'll be around for decades to come.”
Julie Cavil, Krug Cellar Master
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