Krug 2008

This is very structured and framed with an almost red sensibility. Very phenolic. Full-bodied in a tightly wound ball with so much going on. Very pinot like. Mineral and stone. Shell and stone. Iodine. Vinous. The bubbles just fade into the finish of the wine, which goes on for minutes. Turns to toffee and salted caramel with time in the glass. One for the cellar. Great length. Blend of 53% pinot noir, 25% pinot meunier, 22% chardonnay. Disgorged in beginning of 2020. Drink or hold.

Since I reviewed the Krug 2008 Brut last year, I have drunk the wine on five or six occasions, but I still struggle to understand it. This bottle, tasted at the cellars in Reims, was among the best I've encountered to date; but between the chiseled muscularity of the Clos du Mesnil and the complexity and plenitude of the 164ème Édition of Grande Cuvée, the vintage itself simply seems less compelling and complete. Offering up aromas of citrus oil, freshly baked bread, orange zest, dried white flowers and a discreet hint of buttered toast, it's medium to full-bodied, racy and saline, with a pretty pinpoint mousse and a tightly wound core. Will it unfurl with time to reveal more mid-palate volume and authority, or will it remain a comparatively lean, understated vintage for Krug? As ever, time will tell, and given the house's track record I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see the 2008 take flight with more time on cork.

There’s a profound and coiled energy in the 2008 Champagne Millésime, which pours a youthful medium golden hue and opens in the glass to aromas of crushed oyster shell, golden white peach, preserved lemon, shortbread, and fresh ginger. Medium to full-bodied, it has electric and powerful concentration and is packed with preserved Meyer lemon citrus oils, electric tension, and a laser-like mineral texture. Its mousse adds a white pepper spice and a long finish, lasting for ages on the palate. With a strong identity, intense mouthwatering freshness, and outstanding length, it’s not for the faint of heart, but this is going to be a wine we’ll be talking about in 30 to 40 years’ time.

Pale greenish coppery colour. Intense evolved nose. A certain nuttiness and lots of lime flavour. Masses of acidity still but real depth too. Light bitterness. Lack of flesh. Structure dominates the filling. Mineral, almost wet cement on nose! Very dry finish. This one should run and run. Extremely zesty. 2021 – 2038