2006 Krug Clos du Mesnil
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Tasting notes
ID 319030. Disgorged in the third trimester of 2019 and released 12 months later. Presented online by Olivier Krug and Julie Cavil with vintage 2006 and Grande Cuvée based on 2006. He pointed out that Clos du Mesnil is the same size as the Place Vendôme in Paris, so pretty tiny. It could all be picked in one day but they assign two days for the task because the grapes are at different ripeness levels thanks to differences in vine age and a certain amount of shading. Sleek, lively and lifted – even ethereal – on the nose with light notes of putty. Complex nose – quite mature – but still very tight on the palate. At Krug they see a minty note. Some definite chewiness. They are happy for the wine to be quite textured. It's definitely skinnier, crisper and overall rather less satisfying than the Krug vintage 2006. They serve this first of the three 'because it has the most precise expression'. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2006 Clos du Mesnil was harvested over three days, which is remarkable for a tiny parcel measuring 1.84 hectares divided into five blocks that are often picked over a wider timeframe. Soaring in the glass, the 2006 is stratospheric in its beauty. The richness of the year contrasts so beautifully with the flintiness and energy of Mesnil. With time in the glass the mousse softens, releasing layers of vinous intensity. Tangerine oil, pastry, lemon confit and marzipan all build effortlessly. The 2006 is sumptuous, racy and exotic to the core, with all of that richness supported by a phenolic, intense frame. This is Krug ID: 319030.
Slated for release later this year, Krug's 2006 Blanc de Blancs Clos du Mesnil unwinds in the glass with aromas of buttered citrus fruit, crisp green pear, warm pastry, freshly baked bread, apricot and licorice. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, the 2006's comparatively extroverted and gourmand bouquet is in contrast to its deep, chiseled and tightly wound palate, and it's here that the site really dominates the vintage signature. Long, sapid and penetrating, complemented by a pillowy pinpoint mousse, this is a brilliant Blanc de Blancs that has been well worth the wait. By the standards of young Clos du Mesnil, it's already quite approachable and can already be drunk with considerable satisfaction.
About the producer
Krug is a remarkable Champagne House which only makes prestige cuvées. The wines – with their distinctive rich, complex, oxidative style – are some of the region’s best.