Krug Grande Cuvée 167ème Édition in half bottle, built around the 2011 harvest from 191 wines across 13 years. At 375mL it pours two generous glasses.
About This Champagne
The 2011 season started hot, with flowering about three weeks ahead of normal, then turned cold, damp and grey through the summer. A short heatwave halted ripening and later rain freshened the grapes, and it became the second-earliest harvest since 1822. Chardonnay lacked its usual freshness, so the blend leans on Pinot Noir, which did well, particularly from plots in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The youngest wine is from 2011 and the oldest from 1995, and the final mix is 47% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay and 17% Meunier.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Blossom and ripe orchard fruit, dried apricot, citrus peel, marzipan and a hint of gingerbread spice.
- Palate: Rounded and full, with hazelnut, nougat and toasted brioche set against bright citrus and a soft, fine mousse.
- Finish: Long and savoury, with almond pastry and a chalky, lemony lift at the very end.
Serving & Food
Serve around 10 to 12°C in a tulip or white wine glass rather than a narrow flute, so the aromas have room. Now well into its stride and still holding for several years. Try it with langoustine tails in brown butter, crab cakes or aged Mimolette.
How to Enjoy
Guests who enjoy Champagne with some bottle age, and anyone comparing it with a younger Édition.
Product Details
Producer: Krug
Edition: Grande Cuvée 167ème Édition
Region: Champagne, France
Base Harvest: 2011
Composition: 191 wines from 13 different years, 1995 to 2011
Reserve Wines: 42%
Blend: 47% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay, 17% Meunier
Volume: 375mL
About the Maison
Krug has long taken an interest in how sound affects taste, and it now pairs its Champagnes with music much as it pairs them with food. A worldwide community of musicians composes or chooses pieces inspired by a particular Édition or Vintage, and these pairings sit alongside the tasting notes on the Krug website and app.
The idea follows from the way the house describes Grande Cuvée: well over a hundred wines, each with its own voice, brought together into one piece. Listening while you taste is optional, but it is a good way to slow down and pay attention to what is in the glass.