Krug Grande Cuvée 171th Edition

James SucklingThe tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme brulee. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavorful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end. Drink or hold.

VinousThe NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition, based on the 2015 vintage, is every bit as impressive as it was the last time I tasted it. Creamy, layered and resonant, the 171 is seriously impressive. The style is one that favors tension over volume. Lemon peel, white flowers and white pepper open first. Hints of marzipan, tangerine peel and spice add an exotic flair to this mid-weight, understated Grand Cuvée. Floral notes and bright acids perk up the finish. The 171 is wonderfully fresh and vibrant from start to finish. The blend is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier, vintages 2015 through 2000. Krug ID: 122013. Disgorged: Winter: 2021-2022.

Robert ParkerThe NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition is a delightful blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier and boasts an attractive and captivating aroma of dried fruits, pastry, lemon oil, marzipan, spring flowers and ginger, with hints of almond and vanilla notes that become more pronounced over time. This medium to full-bodied wine is precise and well-structured, with a fleshy core of fruit and a sapid, incisive finish. Crafted around the 2015 vintage, the blend comprises 131 reserve wines from as far back as 2000 (42% of the total blend) and is expected to age beautifully over the next decade.

Krug has just released two cuvées: the Grande Cuvée 171st edition, an exploration of the large universe of Krug, and the 27th edition of Krug Rosé.The Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition is built around the 2015 vintage, but “the Chardonnays and Meuniers showed a little restraint,” said cellar master Julie Cavil. So, she included the 2008, 2013 and 2014 vintages to bring vivacity and tension. Furthermore, the cuvée has been enhanced by adding 131 wines from 12 different years, the youngest of which is the 2015, of course, and the oldest dating back to 2000.The Krug Rosé 27ème Edition is a blend of 57% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier. It too was built around the 2015 vintage, with 55% of various reserve wines. This is a rosé champagne that is quite distinctive in the Krug world for its flamboyance and vibrancy, but it will have to be cellared for a few years before it can be fully appreciated.