One bottle Krug Grande Cuvée, 168ème Édition

Krug Grande Cuvée is born from the dream of one man, Joseph Krug, to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, every single year, regardless of annual variations in climate. Each year, the House of Krug honours this dream with a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée: the most generous expression of Champagne.

The 168ème Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée was composed around the harvest of 2012, a beautiful year with a low yield due to the panoply of meteorological events the region endured. Frost, rain, storms and hale all hit the vineyards of Champagne in winter and spring 2012, followed by the driest ripening season since 1974, resulting in 20% fewer grapes.

Creamy, buttery, salty shortbread notes on the nose signal generosity right away. That lovely, salty sense of richness persists as the Champagne warms up and a streak of candied lemon peel appears. The palate unites that salt-driven depth with great intensity and backs it up with luminous briskness. Yes, there is generous, buttery richness but also real raciness. Persistent bubbles serve up nuances that have yet to blossom: a hint of maple syrup, a pigment of dried shiitake against that enduring notion of crumbly, buttery shortcrust, enlivened every now and then by an ozone breeze.

Value: $190