NV - Krug, Grande Cuvee 169eme Edition

One of the greatest hits of this label, Krug’s NV Grande Cuvée 169ème Édition continues to drink beautifully. Built around the 2013 harvest and incorporating 40% reserve wines dating back to 2000, it emerges from the glass with an aromatic spectrum of lemon oil, nashi pear and fresh apricot mingled with notions of almond paste, crème brûlée and burnt buttered toast. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, ample yet incisive, with a deep core of fruit, a bright spine of acidity and chalky structuring extract, concluding with a long, saline finish. Disgorged in early 2021 with a dosage of five grams per liter, it is beginning to pay the dividends that bottle age brings and should continue to develop very nicely. It is also—unsurprisingly, given the inclusion of a substantial reserve-wine component—more demonstrative than the 2013 Brut bottling.

The NV Grande Cuvée 169ème Édition is based on the 2013 vintage and includes wines back to 2000. Fresh and wonderfully vibrant, the 169ème opens beautifully in the glass. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks soar across the palate with a stunning combination of energy and finesse. Krug ID: 121016.

ID 121003. 146 ingredients in the blend, with wines from 11 different years back to 2000. Recreated round the 2013 harvest, which constitutes 60% of the blend. 43% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Meunier. Still pretty tight and introvert but a bit more advanced than a year ago – though still extremely youthful. An embryonic wine with a great future. Massively dense and complex. (JR)