NV - Krug, Grande Cuvee 162eme Edition

Once again, I revisited Krug's NV Grande Cuvée 162ème Édition in the company of the 2006 Brut—supplemented this year by the 2006 Clos du Mesnil. Based on the 2006 vintage, complemented by some 40% reserve wines dating back to 1990, the Krug tasting committee sought out racier, fresher reserve wines as a counterpoint to the gourmand, generous character of the base year, and that has worked very well. Mingling aromas of dried fruits, pear and toasted brioche with nuances of iodine, candied peel and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and lively, with fine depth at the core and beautiful balance, marrying beautifully vibrant fruit with the complex patina that is the house's signature.

The NV Grande Cuvée 162ème Édition, built around the 2006 vintage, is fabulous. All of the natural radiance and intensity of the year comes through in the wine’s ample, resonant personality. Apricot, peach, mint, chamomile, baked apple and lightly honeyed notes all build in racy, sumptuous Grand Cuvée that delivers the goods big time. Readers will find a gorgeous, open-knit Champagne loaded with class and personality. The 162 is still a baby, in fact it hasn’t aged much at all since I last tasted it in 2014, although this is a recent disgorgement. This is the first release that transitioned to the Édition labeling, which was used for some of the later batches, with the 163 being the first wine released as an Édition from the very beginning. Readers will find a small amount of the 162 on the market, most of it reserved for three-packs with the Vintage and Clos du Mesnil, and yes, you guessed it, mixed six packs in wood cases spanning two series; the Éditions 161 through 166 and Éditions 162 through 167. It is an absolutely gorgeous wine. The 162 is based on 2006 and includes wines from 11 vintages going back to 1990. This is Krug ID: 416037.

Pinot Noir 44%, Chardonnay 35% and Pinot Meunier 21%. Base vintage 2006. Reserve wine 40%. Lees ageing for 7 years. Disgorged spring 2014. Dosage 6 g/l. Deeper colour than the 163rd edition. Rich, open and a little bit buttery/creamy. Broad and less elegant than the 163rd and not as persistent. This is powerful but stands out in the line-up for its (relative) lack of elegance even though it has some nice toasty notes. (JH)