Krug Collection 1995
KrugKrug Collection 1995 is the late‑released, museum‑cellar expression of one of Krug’s most beautifully poised vintages. Disgorged after many additional years resting on lees and under cork in Krug’s own cellars, it offers an extraordinary…
+ Read moreKrug Collection 1995 is the late‑released, museum‑cellar expression of one of Krug’s most beautifully poised vintages. Disgorged after many additional years resting on lees and under cork in Krug’s own cellars, it offers an extraordinary combination of freshness, complexity and mature depth. Often considered an insider’s Champagne, it delivers the liveliness of 1995 with the layered nuance only time can bring.
Tasting Notes
In the glass, Krug Collection 1995 shows a deep, burnished golden hue with an ultra‑fine, persistent mousse that speaks to its long lees aging. The nose is wonderfully complex and evolving: lifted notes of mint and dried flowers mingle with truffle, toasted brioche, acacia honey, citrus peel and subtle dried stone fruits. Hints of hazelnut, nougat, chalk and gentle spice reveal themselves with air, each swirl adding another dimension. On the palate, this Champagne is precise and focused yet generous, with a refined, creamy texture wrapped around a vibrant, chalk‑driven acidity. Bright citrus and light orchard fruits are layered with dried apricot, candied lemon, delicate mushroom and undergrowth tones, all carried by a superbly energetic, refreshing finish that seems to go on and on. Despite its age, it still feels remarkably alive, with the structure and concentration to age further in the cellar for many more years, evolving toward even greater tertiary complexity for well‑stored bottles.
Production
Krug Collection 1995 is crafted from selected parcels across some of Champagne’s finest villages, bringing together Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier from top terroirs of chalky soils and cool exposures. The fruit is harvested by hand at optimal ripeness to preserve both intensity and tension, with each plot vinified separately in traditional small oak casks – a Krug hallmark that adds subtle texture and complexity without overt oak character. After blending, the wine spent an extended period on its lees in bottle, followed by additional aging under cork in Krug’s historic Reims cellars before late release as part of the Collection program, offering a mature yet vibrantly fresh expression of the original 1995 vintage.
Food & Serving
This is a contemplative Champagne that shines alongside refined, deeply flavored dishes: think lobster with truffle butter, scallops in a rich shellfish reduction, poached turbot, roasted guinea fowl, veal sweetbreads, aged Comté or Parmesan, and dishes featuring fresh or lightly shaved black truffle. Serve cool but not icy, ideally around 10–12°C, to allow the full aromatic spectrum to emerge. A gentle decant in a chilled carafe, or simply pouring into large, tulip‑shaped white wine glasses and giving it ample time to open, will reward you with even greater complexity and depth.
Producer
Founded in 1843 in Reims, Krug is one of Champagne’s most revered houses, celebrated for its uncompromising craftsmanship and its philosophy of vinifying each parcel separately to capture the true voice of every vineyard. Over generations, the Krug family has built a reputation for wines of extraordinary depth, longevity and individuality, making the house a benchmark not only in Champagne but in the wider world of fine wine. The Krug Collection releases, drawn from perfectly stored library stocks, underline the house’s mastery of time and its unique ability to offer mature vintages at their peak, cementing Krug’s status as one of the region’s most collectible and respected producers.