Ken Gargett Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 Krug Unveils New Single-Vineyard Champagne Clos d’Ambonnay, made entirely from Pinot Noir, will cost a whopping $3,000 or more per bottle Bruce Sanderson Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 For 15 years, Champagne Krug has kept a secret. During that time, brothers Rémi and Henri Krug, the former managing director and winemaker, respectively, and Henri's son, Olivier Krug, the current managing director, dreamed about, developed, vinified and aged a new single-vineyard Champagne. The new wine, Clos d'Ambonnay 1995, has one of the highest-ever price tags of a newly released wine, currently estimated at $3,000 to $3,300 per bottle. The Clos d’Ambonnay is a blanc de noirs made entirely from Pinot Noir. Ambonnay is a village in the Montagne de Reims, rated grand cru, where the southeast exposure tends to yield richer, fuller wines. The new wine was inspired by Krug's single-vineyard Clos du Mesnil wine, which comes from a tiny 11.5-acre parcel in the Côte de Blancs, which Krug purchased in 1971. The Clos du Mesnil wine was started by Rémi and Henri Krug, and was, until now, the house's most expensive cuvée. The 1996 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Clos du Mesnil (96 points on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale) was released this year at a price of $800 per bottle. "The idea arose a few years after the revelation of Krug Clos du Mesnil, when both Henri and Rémi had in mind to find a second jewel vineyard," said Olivier Krug. "That jewel was owned by one of our suppliers in Ambonnay, which had always been one of our darling villages." In 1994, after working in the vineyard for a few years and some trial fermentations in small oak barrels (a technique Krug is known for), the company made an offer to purchase the vineyard. The 1995 is the first vintage of the wine to be released. Krug's parent company, luxury goods giant LVMH, held a prerelease in early October for friends of the house, but Krug fans in the United States will have to wait until spring 2008 for the official release. Compounding the difficulty of acquiring a bottle is that only 250 cases were made. that is serious money when one considers that last year, ten of us banded together to share a bottle of 1928 krug collection, from auction. rated by every champers expert as the greatest champers ever made, it was $3k aussie!!
Cam Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 It seems we all have a new found interest after the other post xD im glad it's my favourite drink!!! Krug mm I have some '96 which wasn't too bad, I wonder.. would anyone here be interested in aquiring bottles if I bought some?? Just a question I thought I'd throw out there!! Cam -
Colt45 Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 » Krug mm I have some '96 which wasn't too bad, I wonder.. would anyone here » be interested in aquiring bottles if I bought some?? Just a question I » thought I'd throw out there!! » Sure Bond, put me down for a case
Ken Gargett Posted October 25, 2007 Author Posted October 25, 2007 » It seems we all have a new found interest after the other post xD im glad » it's my favourite drink!!! » » Krug mm I have some '96 which wasn't too bad, I wonder.. would anyone here » be interested in aquiring bottles if I bought some?? Just a question I » thought I'd throw out there!! » » Cam - i have some myself and i think it is undoubtedly the greatest young (even if 96) champagne i've ever drunk. would strongly recommend anyone interested grabbing what they can. almost unprocurable in aust. and if you did, retail would be $500ish
Cam Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 yeah.. i was in brisbane airport not long ago.. the Grange is expensive (Penfolds) ive never tried the paticular year i think it was a 2000 is it any good??
havanaclub7 Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 » i have some myself and i think it is undoubtedly the greatest young (even » if 96) champagne i've ever drunk. » would strongly recommend anyone interested grabbing what they can. almost » unprocurable in aust. and if you did, retail would be $500ish Wasn't '96 a great year for Champagne? I have a bottle of '96 Dom Perignon in my cellar. I understand Robert Parker gave it a 98 score. This last weekend, I enjoyed a bottle of Mumm Cordon Rouge N/V. I have to say that it was very good for a relatively inexpensive N/V champagne. Nice apple/pear flavors with a little brioche on the finish.
Cam Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 yeah 96 was excellent mate I have a case, well one bottle left now I recommend you drink now - 10 years.. or sell take a look at the following if you're just getting into researching good years it helped me alot when I started out http://www.bbr.com/US/shopping/vintage-french.lml the 98 is good too im about to post a review of a bottle of pol roger 96 soon look out! Cam -
havanaclub7 Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 Cam - What is your favorite N/V Champagne? I had some Mumm Cordon Rouge the other day that was outstanding. I also had some Tattinger that was rather non descript.
Cam Posted October 25, 2007 Posted October 25, 2007 Bollinger hands down! the 96 through 2000 is an extremely good drink!
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