Krug Grande Cuvée is the archetype of Krug’s philosophy of craftsmanship and savoir-faire: a blend of more than 120 wines from ten or more different years.
Its exceptional finesse is the result of a stay of at least another six years in the cellars. Around twenty years are needed to craft each bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée: the first prestige Champagne re-created each year, beyond the very notion of vintage.
This bottle spent at least 12 years in Krug's cellars further developing its particular character, depth and elegance, receiving its cork in Summer 2011.
Every year since the foundation of the House of Krug, a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée is created to offer the fullest expression of Champagne.
This bottle is one of a limited number of Krug Grande Cuvée 160ème Édition specially kept in the House's cellars, waiting for this moment to be discovered. It is a blend of 121 wines from 12 different years, the youngest of which dates back to 2004 and the oldest to 1990. Every glass poured from it is the fruit of more than 20 years of careful craftsmanship.
Krug Grande Cuvée 160ème Édition was composed around the harvest of 2004. With beautiful weather in harvest time from mid-September to early October, 2004 was a generous year after the challenging extremes of 2003. Nature's elation afforded a breadth of choice and when harvest time arrived the grapes were in very good condition.
Upon tasting the wines of the year, the Meuniers revealed vivacity, tension and citrus notes, the Chardonnays showed vibrancy and the Pinot Noirs a beautiful structure. To complement these facets and impart to this Édition the distinctive generosity of Krug Grande Cuvée, a selection of wines was chosen from House's extensive library of reserve wines, making up 35% of the blend. Particularly notable among them were a selection of the older Chardonnays, such as the 1990 wines from Avize and Oger, which brought their touch of freshness, while a 1995 Avize gave a bountiful roundness. The remaining reserve wines were chosen primarily from more recent years, providing the liveliness and vigour so essential to every Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée.
The final composition of this bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée is 44% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 23% Meunier.
Krug Grande Cuvée is born from the dream of one man, Joseph Krug, to offer the very best Champagne every single year, regardless of annual variations in climate. Each year, the House of Krug honours this dream with a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée: the fullest expression of Champagne.
Eric Lebel
Tasting notes
As you taste it, notes of toasted bread, hazelnut, nougat, barley sugar and jellied fruits may take you by surprise. You may even taste hints of apples still on the tree, flowers in bloom, ripe and dried fruit, almonds, marzipan, gingerbread, sweet spices and even brioche and honey.
You may also notice its exceptional freshness in the mouth, with rich and tangy flavours of lemon and grapefruit enhanced by the subtlety of its fine and elegant bubbles. Krug Grande Cuvée can age beautifully.
Discover the House of Krug from the inside.
Relive stories from Krug’s heritage, told by members of the House.
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The enticing pepper manifests its myriad forms differently around the world with varied expressions – raw, grilled, roasted, as a condiment or even iced – making it an intriguing match for Krug, the most versatile of Champagnes.
Over twenty years go into creating each bottle of Krug Grande Cuvee,
to pair it with black truffle is to create a union of the best of Nature’s offering.
Simply the smell of fresh, delicate truffle is enough to evoke the fresh scents
of autumn fruit in Krug Grande Cuvee; they can be combined in any way,
no matter how simple, the experience is unforgettable.
The simple artichoke, which appears so fleetingly
throughout the culinary calendar, makes a harmonious
partner for Krug Grande Cuvée.
Pureed it is aromatic and velvety,
reflecting the subtle hazelnut notes of Krug Grande Cuvée.
As the nights draw in, the evocative warmth of toasted chestnuts is irresistible.
Smokey, crunchy and yet soft, chestnuts enhance the wines
which compose Krug Grande Cuvee which can reach up to 15 years of age.
A simple association, together they achieve sublime refined elegance.
Krug Grande Cuvée lends itself to a wealth of culinary combinations, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, from an extra-mature parmesan to turbot à la truffe.
Among the many possibilities, it can be enjoyed as an aperitif with Jabugo ham and old comté, with a dish of oysters, grilled shrimps, Indian or Moroccan food, as well as with desserts such as carrot cake, tarte tatin and cheese cake.
ratings
"The Wines of our twenty years"
"Krug has always remained Krug. And Krug Grande Cuvée, in edition after edition, remains an incredible palette of grape varieties, terroirs and different years with confounding harmony. None symbolises better than Krug Grande Cuvée this quest of perfection centered around the foundation itself of Champagne wine: blending."
Bettane & Desseauve 2015
Note: 19/20
“This is all about balance and the integration of power and finesse, with finely honed acidity supporting flavors of quince paste, dried black cherry, spun honey and candied orange zest, while rich notes of roasted walnut, coffee liqueur and toasted cardamom resonate on the finish. Hard to stop sipping. Drink now through 2028. ”–AN
For Krug Grande Cuvée, I have chosen Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto. It is one of the most generous masterpieces, full of joy, full of greatness, with a kind of majestic presence. I think it goes beautifully with the open spirit and generous fullness of Krug Grande Cuvée.
Beethoven - Van Cliburn & Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Fritz ReinerKhatia Buniatishvili - Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat, Op. 73 "Emperor": III. Rondo – Allegro