Krug : Clos du Mesnil 2008

A harmonious Champagne that marries the power and grace of a prima ballerina. Delivers a racy streak of acidity that's effortlessly knit to the layered range of tangerine, madeleine cake, dried mint and white blossoms, pink grapefruit sorbet and crushed hazelnut and almond notes. Finely detailed in texture — almost luxuriously creamy — echoing a pronounced note of salty minerality on the finish. Disgorged summer 2021. Drink now through 2038.

This is a powerful, sensual and intense Blanc de Blancs with lots of chalk, lemon, apricot stone, walnut, flint, biscuit, toast, white grapefruit and quince. Vibrant, tight and structured. Tight bubbles and a sharp backbone of acidity. Very long and persistent. Keeps going. Still a baby. Dosage 4g/L. Drink or hold.

Krug’s 2008 Clos du Mesnil, tasted from two bottles, is a very, very special Champagne. Soaring aromatics, fine, chiseled fruit and understated depth are the signatures of a Champagne that is immediately captivating. Bright, mouthwatering acids run through a core of citrus fruit, lemon oil, slate, chalk, mint and white pepper. A touch of reduction and a superb, fine mousse move the 2008 into a realm that straddles Champagne and a distinctly Burgundian expression of Chardonnay. The 2008 is going to be expensive, and I am already hearing that allocations will be minuscule. For readers who can find it, the 2008 is an essential Clos du Mesnil that will take its place among the greatest vintages made here, specifically 1979, 1988 and 1996. If anyone wants to organize a comparative tasting of the four, plus maybe 2004, I’m game! The 2008 Clos du Mesnil is a magnificent Champagne to savor over the next several decades.

Medium greenish yellow, fine golden reflections, delicate, integrated mousse. A hint of fresh lime and almond cake, nuances of orange marmalade, ethereal notes, some lemon balm, dark minerality, a multi-faceted bouquet. Taut on the palate, underlying cookie, full-bodied and elegant, fine ripe fruitiness with white stone fruit, lemony nuances, some candied kumquats, convincing freshness, salty notes, some herbal savouriness in the finish, has great length and assured ageing potential; a wine of convincing depth and character.

A fine mineral dimension with deep, concentrated juice. The nose is pure, quite crystalline. A hint of citrus and a chalky touch, with a light patina of oak that delicately enhances the whole. The palate opens up with lovely length and a fine, tactile feel; the bubbles are graceful, and the attractive bitters on the finish bring a sense of verticality. The vintage’s bright acidity gives it brilliance.