Krug, Grande Cuvée, Edition, 169th
Lemon pie and golden sultana aromas combine with the cut of smoky oak, toast and tight golden berries. An exceptionally elegant Grand Cuvee 167, based on the 2011 vintage and propped up with 42% reserve wines dating back to the ‘90s. Wonderfully pure flavours dance across the palate, delicate white currant, chalk, bitter lemon & grapefruit notes energised by a lovely pliant acidity and remarkable detail of flavour. Lissom, high toned and gossamer textured – a Grand Cuvee for the Spring (if it ever arrives)…
critic reviews
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.
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.