NV Krug Grande Cuvee Edition 171
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Tasting Notes
The 171st edition of Krug’s Grande Cuvée is predictably superb. Based on the 2015 vintage, it is such a baby at the moment – a structured and tight wine that needs time in bottle to reveal its potential. The nose is a little shy, with red-apple skin, lemon pith, toasted brioche, strawberry sherbet and crème pâtissière notes gradually emerging with time. The palate is firm and almost stern with its framework of fruit and the persistent, finely textured mousse. Powerful yet with finesse, there’s a wave of lemon curd and honey that leads onto a long, flinty mineral finish.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition, based on the 2015 vintage, is every bit as impressive as it was the last time I tasted it. Creamy, layered and resonant, the 171 is seriously impressive. The style is one that favors tension over volume. Lemon peel, white flowers and white pepper open first. Hints of marzipan, tangerine peel and spice add an exotic flair to this mid-weight, understated Grand Cuvée. Floral notes and bright acids perk up the finish. The 171 is wonderfully fresh and vibrant from start to finish. The blend is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier, vintages 2015 through 2000. Krug ID: 122013. Disgorged: Winter: 2021-2022.
The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition is a delightful blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier and boasts an attractive and captivating aroma of dried fruits, pastry, lemon oil, marzipan, spring flowers and ginger, with hints of almond and vanilla notes that become more pronounced over time. This medium to full-bodied wine is precise and well-structured, with a fleshy core of fruit and a sapid, incisive finish. Crafted around the 2015 vintage, the blend comprises 131 reserve wines from as far back as 2000 (42% of the total blend) and is expected to age beautifully over the next decade.
About the producer
Krug is a remarkable Champagne House which only makes prestige cuvées. The wines – with their distinctive rich, complex, oxidative style – are some of the region’s best.