Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée (Edition 171) NV 75cl

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.<br/>Krug has just released two cuvées: the Grande Cuvée 171st edition, an exploration of the large universe of Krug, and the 27th edition of Krug Rosé.<br/><br/>The Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition is built around the 2015 vintage, but “the Chardonnays and Meuniers showed a little restraint,” said cellar master Julie Cavil. So, she included the 2008, 2013 and 2014 vintages to bring vivacity and tension. Furthermore, the cuvée has been enhanced by adding 131 wines from 12 different years, the youngest of which is the 2015, of course, and the oldest dating back to 2000.<br/><br/>The Krug Rosé 27ème Edition is a blend of 57% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier. It too was built around the 2015 vintage, with 55% of various reserve wines. This is a rosé champagne that is quite distinctive in the Krug world for its flamboyance and vibrancy, but it will have to be cellared for a few years before it can be fully appreciated.