Champagne Krug - Grande Cuvée 173ème Édition - Coffret luxe

Decanter

About the wine:

Krug's Grande Cuvée 173rd Edition is made from one of the most difficult harvests in the Champagne region in the last 20 years, that of 2017, when rampant rot and a lack of ripeness forced extremely rigorous sorting during the harvest. This is exactly the kind of year that highlights the strengths of the house in its reserve wine cellar and its parcel-by-parcel vinification. With 31% of reserve wines dating from the 2001 harvest, this is a relatively early Grande Cuvée, but one that does not suffer unduly from the difficulties of the year. The juicy fruitiness of apricot is immediately apparent, enhanced by the liveliness of ground pepper and burnt grapefruit peel, followed in the glass by aromatic notes of green coffee and dried mushrooms that pair well with food. The soft, mellow mousse is already well balanced, complementing the sensation of roundness and lightness. The significant presence of cooked Chardonnay brings length and intensity on the palate, even if the quantity of Chardonnay in the blend is perhaps not as high as one might have expected given its relatively good performance that year; the reserves also bring delicious length and intensity to an otherwise clean palate. This cuvée can be enjoyed earlier than some others, but in the meantime it will offer some wonderful gastronomic possibilities.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

An edition built around the year 2017, enriched with 150 wines and 13 vintages, the oldest wine coming from a plot of Pinot Noir in the village of Verzenay, in the 2001 vintage. A complex mosaic that finds its perfect echo in this masterful Grande Cuvée, traversed by very fine, energetic bubbles that rise to the heart of a fine golden color. The nose is a veritable symphony of aromas: first "warm," with notes of praline, freshly baked brioche, and hazelnut, then floral (arnica flower, chamomile, lime blossom, orange blossom) and fruity (pear, mandarin). The palate, with its impressive volume, combines richness, butteriness, and density with an airy liveliness reinforced by very "sparkling" bubbles that stimulate the finish, marked by chalky and delicately vegetal notes. Complexity and finesse, breadth and horizontality—this is an edition that will keep you turning the pages.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The Grande Cuvée 173rd Edition NV recently unveiled by Krug, which accounts for around 80% of the house's total production, is performing well, particularly given the challenges posed by the base vintage, 2017. That year, the red grape varieties were under severe pressure from rot, making careful sorting essential; Some batches deemed unsuitable for Krug's standards were even diverted to distillation. The fundamental concept of Grande Cuvée is based on using the house's vast library of some 500 options to complement the base vintage and mitigate the extremes of any given growing season. The 173rd Edition comprises 150 wines from 13 vintages, with the 2017 vintage representing 69% of the final blend. Disgorged in January 2024 with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter, it opens with aromas of pear, golden apple, lemon cream, and early white flowers, intertwined with a distant hint of nutmeg. On the palate, it is medium-bodied to full-bodied, textured and charming, loaded with tangy acidity and enlivened by a mellow mousse, ending with a long, salty finish. Compared to its immediate predecessor, the 173rd Edition is fuller and more generous, while the 172nd Edition is tighter and more incisive. As seasoned Krug aficionados will recognize, the addition of reserve wines, which may have undergone malolactic fermentation, makes the Grande Cuvée more immediately accessible than the house's vintage champagnes, offering a more generous tasting experience upon release.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 173rd edition is marked by the delicate texture inherent in 2017, its base vintage, which is slender. This balanced and caressing wine seems to us to be more open at this stage than the 172 edition, which has additional structure and tension and needs more time.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

Based on the 2017 vintage and made from 150 wines from 13 vintages dating back to 2001. 31% reserve wine. A harvest ruined by rain required extreme diligence. Dosage 4 g/l. Positively round and charming, while retaining its usual depth, complex layers, and intellectual rigor. It appears to be made from riper grapes than before and is already a real pleasure to drink.

Vinous

James Suckling

About the wine:

Extremely complex, with aromas of dried apples, light caramel, brioche, and flint, accompanied by notes of cedar, walnut, and burnt metal. Integrated, caressing bubbles. Medium-bodied with a precise, compact, and extremely long palate that concentrates the character and aromas. Very deep and refined. Tangy finish. Drink now or cellar.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

NV Champagne Grande Cuvée 173rd Edition is lively and mineral, made from the 2017 vintage and 150 wines from 13 vintages dating back to 2001. It offers notes of wet stones, custard, lemon peel, honeycomb, white peach, and citrus blossom. Full-bodied, it combines power and finesse, with a mineral texture and a long finish on the palate. This edition also features fantastic spicy notes, excellent underlying acidity, and tension with a savory finish. Olivier Krug commented on the hot weather in 2017, noting that they were keen to harvest early for this vintage and had finished their harvest when many others were just getting started. Disgorged in early 2024.