NV Krug Grande Cuvée 161st Edition
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Tasting notes
Pinot Noir 44%, Chardonnay 37% and Pinot Meunier 19%. Base vintage 2005. Reserve wine 32%. 6 years on the lees, disgorged summer 2012, dosage 6 g/l. Pale gold. More evolved than the 162nd edition (there was greater risk of rot in some 2005s). More spicy. Touch of mushroom starting to show. Broad and toasty, cedary, dried fruits. Extremely fresh but a little bit roasted. Broad, deep, not as refined as most of the Grandes Cuvées in this line-up because the ripeness and the high acid are slightly in opposition. (JH)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Based on 2005 when many grapes were spoilt by a nasty fungus inside them – something that affected the 2023 vintage too apparently. Disgorged in 2012. Deep straw colour. Sherbet notes on the nose then a rather sudden finish. Olivier Krug, with whom I tasted these wines, thought this was not a perfect bottle. (JR)
ID 312036. 134 wines. Original disgorgement. Kept on cork for re-release. Complex, intellectual nose with a sort of burnished gold impression. (JR)
This is the 161st creation of Krug Grande Cuvée, code 312036, based on the 2005 vintage, the oldest wine is from 1990 and the youngest 2005 with 134 wines from 12 vintages to make the Krug signature Grande Cuveé. Reserve wines this year bring brightness, richness and depth to the year's blend, mainly through very beautiful old Chardonnays and multiple expressions of Meunier from different years. 44% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Meunier. Dosage 6 g/l. Disgorged summer 2012. Tasted blind. Fizzy and tight. But not one of the densest or finest. Based on 2005? Neat bead. Well sculpted rather than dramatic. Lots of youth and acidity. But good balance. (JR)
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.