Krug Grande Cuvee 168th Edition Champagne France

Most Champagne houses release a Non-Vintage Champagne alongside their various cuvées but not Krug. Then again Krug is not like ‘most’ Champagne houses. Krug Grande Cuvée is born from the dream of one man, Joseph Krug, to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, every single year, regardless of annual variations in climate. Since 1843, the House of Krug has honoured this vision with each new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée: the most generous expression of Champagne. Every year, to craft an edition of Krug Grand Cuvée, Cellar Master Julie Cavil and the Tasting Committee audition around 250 wines of the year’s harvest plus 150 reserve wines form 14 different vintages. Each Édition is created and rests for several years in the cellars before being presented. This year, when the 176th edition will enter the cellars, the 168th Édition, which has been patiently waiting, will emerge. It is a blend of 198 wines from 11 different years, the youngest is from the year 2012, while the oldest dates back to 1996. The 168th Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée was composed around the harvest of 2012, a beautiful year with a low yield due to the deluge of meteorological events the region endured. Frost, rain, storms and hale all hit the vineyards of Champagne in winter and spring 2012, followed by the driest ripening season since 1974, resulting in 20% fewer grapes. 52% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 13% Meunier, this blend is unbelievably gorgeous. Rich and mouth-coating with notes of honey, butterscotch, and lemon pith burst from the palate. The bead is fine and soft with a lingering texture that extends towards the back palate. Nothing – truly, nothing – beats a glass of Krug.