Krug Grande Cuvee # 171 NV

Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition is the house’s iconic multi-vintage Champagne, crafted to express the most complete image of a single harvest elevated by an extraordinary library of reserve wines. Built around the 2015 vintage and composed of 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier, this cuvée delivers both precision and generosity in the glass. As with all releases of Grande Cuvée, the 171ème Édition is a rare opportunity to taste time itself, blending wines from 2000 through 2015 into one seamless, luxurious Champagne.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition shows a luminous golden hue with a fine, persistent mousse that speaks to its long maturation on the lees. The nose is complex and inviting, offering layers of dried fruits, flaky pastry, lemon oil, marzipan and spring flowers, with hints of ginger, almond and vanilla that become more expressive as the wine opens in the glass. On the palate, this is medium- to full-bodied, precise and beautifully structured, with a fleshy core of ripe fruit wrapped in vibrant acidity. Flavors of baked citrus, stone fruits, toasted brioche and subtle spice carry through to a long, juicy and sharply defined finish. Built around the 2015 vintage and enriched by 131 reserve wines dating back to 2000 (42% of the blend), this edition has the concentration and balance to evolve gracefully over at least a decade, gaining further complexity and nuance with careful cellaring.

Production
Sourced from a mosaic of top sites across Champagne, Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition reflects the region’s diverse terroirs—from chalky slopes that bring tension and minerality, to warmer, more sheltered parcels that contribute richness and depth. All grapes are hand-harvested at optimal ripeness to preserve purity and integrity of fruit. True to the Krug style, each individual plot is vinified separately, with primary fermentation traditionally in small oak casks, allowing every base wine to develop character and texture before blending. The final assemblage—centered on the 2015 harvest and complemented by 131 carefully selected reserve wines spanning 15 vintages—is then aged for several years on the lees in Krug’s cellars, allowing the Champagne to gain its signature complexity, creaminess and fine-beaded mousse before release.

Food & Serving
Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition is remarkably versatile at the table, pairing beautifully with refined dishes such as oysters, scallop carpaccio, lobster, turbot, roasted poultry, truffle risotto or mature Comté and aged Parmesan. It also shines alongside rich pâtés, lightly spiced Asian cuisine and delicate mushroom preparations, where its structure and acidity cut through richness while elevating subtle flavors. Serve well chilled at around 8–10°C (46–50°F). While not strictly necessary, pouring it into a larger white wine glass—or even giving it a brief 10–15 minute rest in the glass—will help the wine unfurl its layered aromas and textures.

Producer
Founded in 1843 in Reims, Krug is one of Champagne’s most revered houses and a benchmark for prestige cuvées worldwide. From the beginning, the Krug philosophy has been to craft the most complete Champagne each year, achieved through meticulous parcel-by-parcel vinification and the patient accumulation of an unparalleled library of reserve wines. Grande Cuvée, recreated annually, is the purest expression of this vision and has earned a reputation as one of the finest multi-vintage Champagnes in existence. Krug’s commitment to long aging, traditional oak fermentation and obsessive attention to detail has cemented its status as a reference point for depth, complexity and longevity in Champagne.