Krug, Grande Cuvee 171eme Edition

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.

ID 406001. The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier was based on 2000 but includes 118 wines from 10 different vintages, the oldest being 1990, the youngest 2000. Disgorged 2006. Fresh, floral tension. Focused thought reticent on the nose. Dense with lots to chew on. A little sweetness and lots of depth. (JR)