On Tuesday, we hosted one of the best tasting events at Graileys yet! Olivier Krug- 6th generation of Krug Champagne- came back to Graileys for a night we will never forget. And when we Krug, we go big! A grand meal was prepared by the one and only local top chef Tre Wilcox, while each moment was concreted in photography by the fabulous and talented Lauren Medean as we tasted each KrugChampagne from custom glasses made by Riedel, specifically for Krug Champagnes. Truly our 2016 Krug dinner was glorified to the max!
Olivier Krug telling us the story of the great Joseph Krug and the passion behind the Grande Cuvee
Krug Grande Cuvee in Magnum- The heart beat of the House of Krug. Krug’s Grande Cuvee is the epitome of great Champagne not just in non-vintage form but in Champagne overall for those who prefer their Champagnes with deep breath, warm toasty notes and rich complexities. This was the wine Joseph Krug’s passion was based on when he left Jacquesson to start his own Champagne house in 1843 and it is the Grande Cuvee that is the core of the house of Krug. Unlike other Champagne estate’s non-vintage wines who strive to create their house style to be the exact same each year, Krug’s Grande Cuvee strives to be the absolute best bottle of Champagne year in-year out. There is bottle variation within any given bottle of Grande Cuvee, but have no fear- if it comes from Krug, it’s essentially guaranteed that the wine will be phenomenal! Download the Krug app and track the exact vintages and varietals that are in your bottle of Grande Cuvee!
2002 Krug Vintage Brut-*** Wow! One of the highlights of the night and definitely the star of the vintage! Beautiful deep minerality, wildly complex, expansive flavors, rich and round texture that carries each flavor with dignity. The finish is incredibly long and enchanting. The 2002 Krug is truly “in another league”. There is a full gamut of sexy ripe fruit exploding from the glass from ripe citrus to warm orchard and bright stonefruit to juicy tropical tones. The minerals cannot be more perfect: not offensive, astringent or austere, just beautifully complimentary to every nuance in this fine wine. As much as we all thoroughly enjoyed the 02 Krug, I highly anticipate the day I revisit this Champagne in decades to come.
Krug Grande Cuvee 158th Edition- The soul of the House of Krug. This is the beginning of a new and beautiful Krug Grande Cuvee relationship. This new label of Grande Cuvee is not only just the 158th time the house of Krug has created a Grande Cuvee but this rare bottling is a Grande Cuvee was created from the harvest of 2002- “the year where everything went right” plus the best vintages dating back to 1990! Compared to the regular Grande Cuvee, the 158th Edition Grande Cuvee embodies the best of everything in Grande Cuvee from the ultra creamy bubbles to its greater weight, tone, power and rich flavors in between. This is one of the most impactful Champagnes to experience if you can!
2000 Krug Clos d’Ambonnay- Incredibly rare, this is the 3rd vintage of the release of this 100 percent Pinot Noir Champagne from the old vines of a miniscule walled plot in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay- arguably the best village in Champagne for Pinot Noir. Warm brioche dominates the palate followed by rich spice, sweet cream, fresh nutmeg, salted almonds, cherry pith and red apple skin. Even after sixteen years, the ’00 Clos d’Ambonnay is still in slumber mode and needs significant air to wake it up. With its unyielding structure, this is one to stash away in the cellar only to be rediscovered decades later! Tantalizing now, indeed, but with patience the rewards will be magnifying.
2000 Krug Vintage Brut- More mineral driven in the ’00 Vintage Brut with crush oyster shells and ocean spray. Briny goodness with hints of toasted hazelnut, honey, preserved lemon, and grapefruit. The texture and weight is powerful but not stern. This is reminiscent of the ’96 vintage in Champagne and Burgundy- it just needs more time in the bottle to hit its prime and once it does, its apex will nurture for decades of Krug bliss.
Krug Brut Rose in Magnum- Kumquat and ripe citrus layered on top of crushed raspberries and red currant with elegant minerals and toasted spice. Hints of chamomile, ginger, flint and cinnamon with the leanest minerals in the lineup contrasted by mouth-coating texture, fine, yet explosive bubbles and a red cherry, chalky finish.
1990 Krug Vintage- Knockout Champagne! In 1990, Krug had not created the Clos de Ambonnay Blanc de Noir so the lush, rich backbone of the 1990 Krug Vintage comes from this decadent core of Grand Cru Ambonnay Pinot Noir giving it intensely integrated flavors of deeply rounded spices, beautifully preserved fruit and rich toned minerals. The finish lingers for what I felt like was forever, which is just fine by me.
In true Graileys fashion, when we go big, we definitely don’t go home: we open more bottles!
1982 Bruno Giacosa Barolo- Amazingly complex, ultra silky and everything was perfectly integrated into a completely seamless and complex wine experience. Soft red and black tea, rich forest floor, red currant, dried raspberries, worn leather, mocha, espresso, iron, ripe tobacco, red clay, roasted mushrooms, dried herbs- I can go on and on and on.
2009 Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault Les Narvaux- BOOM! ‘Nuff said. In all seriousness, this is an experience in fine wine that one will never forget. Explosive citrus, ripe apples and pear, sweet cashews, sweet cream and freshly cultured butter, don’t forget the popcorn! Warm baking spice, rich vanilla bean, deep minerality, wild mushrooms, white truffles and the dirt that clings on to them! The texture is just as opulent as its thunderous flavors and the finish is equally luscious and lingers extensively.
More Bottles from the Night
2000 Le Bon Pasteur Pomerol
1993 Carruades de Lafite
2011 Roulet Echezeaux
1990 Lynch Bages
2012 Patrick Piuze Chablis Bougros
2010 Lignier Michelot Charmes Chambertin
2011 Girardin Chevalier Montrachet
2003 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
2011 Araujo Eisele Syrah
1964 Leroy Clos de Vougeot