Krug : Grande Cuvée 174th Edition

Characteristics and tasting notes for Krug's Grande Cuvée 174ème Édition

Tasting notes

Appearance
An intense, deep and brilliant golden yellow colour, reflecting its beautiful maturity and long ageing in the cellar.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet is particularly expressive and complex. It reveals elegant grilled and toasted notes, mingled with dried fruit and candied citrus aromas such as mandarin, along with subtle touches of camphor and a light hint of hydrocarbon.

Palate
Generous and harmonious, the palate offers a full-bodied texture carried by delicious flavours of mandarin, citrus, candied fruit, chocolate and beeswax. The whole extends into an elegant finish, highlighted by a delicate touch of bitterness.

Food and wine pairing
This cuvée pairs beautifully with gastronomic dishes such as white fish in a light sauce or a tarte Tatin. For simpler pairings, it will elevate asparagus roasted in garlic butter or a matured cheese such as an aged Comté served with ham.

Serving and cellaring
The non-vintage Grande Cuvée 174ème Édition can be enjoyed right away to appreciate its immediate brilliance, or laid down in the cellar where it will continue to develop a fascinating complexity over time.

The timeless excellence of a great Champagne from Krug

The estate
Founded in 1843 in Reims by Joseph Krug, this renowned Champagne House, now part of the LVMH group, stands out for its visionary philosophy: to offer the best possible cuvée every year, regardless of the whims of the weather. Currently led by Olivier Krug, with Julie Cavil as Cellar Master, the estate continues to uphold exceptional expertise. It relies on ultra-parcel-based winemaking and an impressive collection of reserve wines to craft world-renowned prestige sparkling wines.

The vineyard
The grapes come from the estate's own plots as well as those of the partner growers of the Cercle des Vignerons, all located within the Champagne appellation area. Viticulture here is carried out with great environmental rigour: no herbicides, exclusive use of organic fertilisers, maintenance of plant cover to preserve biodiversity, and careful adjustment of harvest dates to ensure optimal berry ripeness.

The blend
This edition is built around the 2018 harvest, a vintage with mild climatic conditions that produced healthy grapes and steady ripening. To recreate the House's unique style, this blend brings together 143 different wines from 10 distinct years. The youngest wines date from 2018, while the oldest go back to 2001.

Winemaking and ageing
Crafting the Grande Cuvée 174ème Édition requires around twenty years of patience and expertise. The winemaking follows the principle of isolating each plot in small, old oak casks, allowing for natural clarification and gentle micro-oxygenation. The reserve wines, aged for up to fifteen years, make up 36% of the final blend, bringing roundness and aromatic depth. After bottling, the wine rests for a minimum of seven years in the estate's cellars.

Grape varieties
The blend is made up of 54% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay and 17% Meunier.