New Release: Krug Grande Cuvee 169th Edition

Krug Grande Cuvee

Every year, a new edition.

At Krug, the focus is very much on their non vintage blend, the wines are chosen first for Grande Cuvee and like 2012 they choose not to make a vintage and instead prioritise the non vintage. Krug Grande Cuvée was 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 all the way up to the latest 169^th edition. The edition number identifies a specific creation of Krug Grande Cuvée, corresponding to the number of years in the House of Krug the founder’s vision has been re-created.

Krug Grande Cuvée is the first and, as of yet, unique Prestige Champagne re-created every year. Therefore the art of blending wines from so many different years gives Krug Grande Cuvée its unique flavours and aromas, impossible to express with the wines of just a single year, allowing each year to have its own characteristics different from the rest.

Krug Grande Cuvée 169ème Édition is a blend of 146 wines from 11 different years, the youngest of which is from 2013, while the oldest dates back to 2000 and a stay of around seven years in Krug’s cellars gives this edition its distinct expression and elegance. Its final composition is 43% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 22% Meunier.

The story of its creation

Krug Grande Cuvée 169th Edition was composed around the harvest of 2013, a year that beautifully expressed the unique characters of some of the House’s iconic plots. The season began with a seemingly endless winter followed by a rainy and cool spring. Luckily, summer was hot and sunny, although also marked by hailstorms, which took their toll in the vineyards. To create this edition, the Cellar Master looked to accentuate the year’s fullness and beautiful aromatic elegance with different plots’ wines from almost every year of the first decade of the millennium. In all, reserve wines from the House’s extensive library made up 40% of the final blend.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: Predominately Premier & Grand Cru
Grape Varieties: 43% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 22% Meunier
Base Vintage: 2013
Reserve Wine: 40%
Lees Ageing: 7 years
Disgorged: Spring 2020
Dosage: 6 g/l

Tasting notes:

Sleek and fresh and truly spring-like with a light yeasty note on the very long finish. The most pleasure to be had initially is in the nose and the finish… This should have a long life. Bone-dry finish and playing the intellectual card. Throbs on the palate with all its vibrancy. A light golden colour and fine, vivacious bubbles, holding a promise of pleasure. Aromas of flowers in bloom, ripe, dried and citrus fruits, as well as marzipan and gingerbread. Flavours of hazelnut, nougat, barley sugar, jellied and citrus fruits, almonds, brioche and honey.

Food pairing:

Krug Grande Cuvée lends itself to a wide selection of culinary combinations, from an aged parmesan to turbot à la truffe. This Champagne can be enjoyed as an aperitif with Jabugo ham and mature comté or served to accompany oysters, grilled shrimps, Indian or Moroccan food, as well as desserts such as carrot cake, tarte tatin and cheesecake.

Other releases in recent years have been: