【One of the most prestige champagne, so-called Rolls-Royce of Champagne】
【Model of High proportion reserve wine + barrel fermented Champagne】
【James Suckling 98 pts】
【Wine Advocate 94 pts】
【Vinous 94 pts】
ZTF383 Krug Rose 29eme Edition Brut Champagne
Special Price: $2280/Bottle
Type：Champagne
Grape Varieties：44% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Meunier
Region：Champagne, France
ABV：12.5%
Winery
Krug Champagne is often referred to as the Rolls-Royce of Champagne, with both its basic Grande Cuvée and top-tier Clos d’Ambonnay representing quality and luxury. Founded in 1843 by a German named Johann-Joseph Krug, he later dropped the "Johann" to reflect French influence, changing the name to Joseph Krug. Initially, Joseph worked for the prestigious Jacquesson Champagne house, quickly becoming a partner.
However, disagreements arose with Jacquesson. Customers were losing faith in the inconsistent quality of their Champagne, leading Joseph Krug to believe he should produce more consistent and higher-quality products to repay them. However, he received only the cold response, "Don't waste time; vintage determines quality." This prompted Joseph Krug to break away and create his own vision for Champagne – laying the foundation for his subsequent winemaking philosophy.
Krug is now part of the LVMH Group, like Dom Perignon, but unlike other brands within the group, it remains family-run and managed, currently headed by the sixth generation, Olivier Krug.
Region
Krug owns only 21 hectares of vineyards, accounting for 30% of its production. The rest, like most Champagne houses, is sourced from approximately 100 carefully selected grape growers, some of whom have been collaborating for generations. Therefore, in deciding on blends, not only the Krug team but also the grape growers are involved, providing input and allowing them to experience firsthand the high quality of their vineyards. Like Dom Perignon, Krug never discloses its actual production volume to avoid the misconception that large production volumes equate to low quality. However, it's important to understand that even with substantial production and numerous vineyards, maintaining quality through individual monitoring and processing is a level of expertise unmatched by most Champagne houses.
Winemaking
A key characteristic of Krug is its vast base wine production, providing an exceptionally consistent and high-quality range of blends. The vineyards are divided into over 250 areas, with grapes from each area being vinified separately to provide base wines with specific styles for blends. All wines are stored separately, maintaining a total of over 200 base wines from more than ten vintages stored in different containers. The classic non-vintage Grande Cuvée uses approximately 45% reserve wine annually, ensuring Krug's consistently high stability, style, and quality.
Another characteristic is that Krug consistently uses 205L Champagne barrels for primary fermentation, totaling approximately 4,000 barrels. These barrels have an average age of 25 years, with the oldest dating back to 1964. This allows the wine to interact with oxygen through the barrel's pores, enhancing its complexity and structure, making it more stable and age-worthy without developing excessive oak aromas or tannins.
Rating
James Suckling 98 pts
Lovely pink color. This is really classy and refined. Quite subtle aromas of peaches, pears and cantaloupe with lavender and heather follow through to a medium body. The tight, focused palate has ultrafine texture and a very long finish. Almost never-ending. Fine bubbles integrate beautifully. Drink or hold.
