Krug Brut 1996

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Winery: Krug Brut

Country / Region: France / Champagne

Date Winery was established: 1843

Grape Variety: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier

Year the vintage was first released: 1938

Alcohol Content / Volume: 12% - 12.5% / 750ml

Ratings: 99 pts Wine Spectator / 99 pts Stephen Tanzer / 97 pts Robert Parker

Decanting Time: No need to decant. Serve at 5 - 8°C

Our suggestion for decanting time is based on bottles we tried at Txanton in 2020. We guarantee that Txanton stocks are imported and maintained in proper storage within the correct temperature and humidity suitable for wine.

Good To Know: Highly regarded as one of Champagnes greatest houses, Krug sits atop the champagne hierarchy alongside the likes of Dom Perignon and Louis Roederer. Founded by Mosel, Germany native, Joseph Krug, in 1843, Krug's champagnes have become highly collectible and sought after by both critics and consumers alike. Joseph Krug's philosophy focuses on every champagne being the best expression of itself, shunning the idea of the hierarchy of champagne which was common practice at that time. To achieve this, Krug began to craft a premium wine sourced from a reserve of wines vinified separately by the growers themselves. This wine is a blend of 120 different wines from 10 or more vintages from the so-called Krug Library, aged for six years, and is noted for its complex brioche and spice characters. This masterfully crafted liquid would eventually become the Grande Cuvée.

The Krug Brut 1996 is a remarkably perfumed champagne that has developed magnificently in our cellars. Delicate tertiary notes of honeycomb, marzipan and dried flowers emerge on the nose alongside nuances of dried pears and smoked meat. The palate is gorgeously creamy yet brilliantly racy at the same time with amazing notes of ginger spice, baked brioche and citrus peel aloft undertones of saline minerality and nutty undertones. The finish showcases the champagne's incredible mousse and length that go side by side with its amazing depth and body.

Today, the wines are still vinified by individual plot, and following tradition, are stored in the Krug Library. Every year, the chef de caves heads a tasting committee who help decide on the final blend. The Krug library holds reserve wines anywhere from the current vintage to wines as old as 50 years.