Clos du Mesnil is the most famous vineyard in all of Champagne and one of the finest Chardonnay sites outside the Grand Cru of Burgundy itself. In the heart of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the vines were planted and the protective wall built in 1698. Although Krug purchased the plot in 1971, it wasn't until the outstanding 1979 harvest that Olivier's father suggested they make a single wine: from one grape, one year and one little garden. Based on pure chalk, this tiny 1.84-hectare east-facing plot achieves less ripeness than some of Le Mesnil's south-facing slopes, making it all the more suited to Krug's long-ageing style. Clos du Mesnil is an extremely rare and exclusive champagne produced only in the very best vintages. Just 8,671 bottles and 659 magnums of Clos du Mesnil were produced in 2003, each individually numbered.

Krug ID: 413064 | Each bottle of Krug has a Krug ID on the back label which enables you to discover the story of that very bottle. You can do so using the smartphone App or on the Krug website.

Weather: The 2003 vintage stands out for its dramatic climate of extremes: a very dry winter and spring with an early flowering period and also two strong frosts, then followed by a very warm summer. As a consequence, there was a relatively low yield in Krug’s Clos du Mesnil vineyard and the Chardonnay grapes harvested glowed with a rare health and beauty.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Clos du Mesnil
Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
Ageing: 9 years on the lees
Disgorged: Autumn 2013
Drink: Now to 2029

Tasting Note: A unique luminous pale gold colour with aromas of candied fruit and white truffle. It is immediately clear this has intense purity. On the palate flavours of citrus fruit, vanilla and herbs combine with a velvety texture and persistent finish. Krug Clos du Mesnil 2003 is a very young wine and if cellared properly will develop elegantly for at least 30 years.

Krug Clos du Mesnil 2003 is presented in a beautifully branded wooden gift box (as shown in the bottom left picture).

Just five years after Joseph Krug founded his eponymous Champagne House in 1843, he documented his great vision for Krug in a cherry-red leather notebook. In it, he revealed the principles of creating a champagne of incredible richness yet great elegance, of selecting only the finest elements from the greatest terroirs, rejecting mediocre fruit and making both a non-vintage and a vintage cuvée - revolutionary at the time. Discovered in 2010 by current House Director and sixth generation of the founding family Olivier Krug, the ideals in this notebook and Krug's resolute commitment to them have secured their position as the most luxurious and exclusive of all Champagne producers.

Unlike other Champagne Houses, Krug's range consists of prestige cuvées only. Their iconic non-vintage Grande Cuvée is a masterful blend of some 120 wines, vintage Krugs are renowned as true classics, majestically displaying the characteristics of each harvest and their unique and exclusive single-vineyard champagnes, Clos du Mesnil and Clos d'Ambonnay are the ultimate rarities. The recent introduction of ID codes displayed on the back of every bottle - revealing base year, disgorgement periods and product information - has helped revise the vision of Krug in line with the great founder's philosophy.

Cellar Master: Julie Cavil
Winery Location: Reims | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Montagne de Reims
Annual Production (bottles): 760,000