Krug Grande Cuvee # 173 NV Giftbox

Krug Grande Cuvée 173ème Édition in giftbox is a benchmark non-vintage Champagne, created to express the fullest possible spectrum of Champagne’s aromas and flavors in a single cuvée. Built on the 2017 harvest and enriched with reserve wines from many different years, this edition is known for its particularly generous, almost opulent character and tropical-tinged profile. Long considered one of the great multi-vintage wines of the world, Grande Cuvée has been crafted in every single vintage since 1843, embodying Krug’s vision of Champagne as an art of blending rather than of a single year.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 173ème Édition shows a luminous golden color with fine, persistent bubbles forming an elegant, creamy mousse. The nose is expressive and layered, offering notes of confit lemon, warm baked apple tart, ripe stone and tropical fruits such as passion fruit, alongside mandarin oil, toasted brioche, and a delicate touch of spice. On the palate, this edition is notably full-bodied and sumptuous, with a rich, almost tropical profile that clearly reflects the personality of the 2017 base year. Flavors of baked orchard fruit, citrus curd, mandarin, and exotic fruit are framed by subtle hazelnut, pastry cream, and gentle baking spices, all carried by vibrant acidity and a finely chiselled, chalky backbone. The finish is long, mouthfilling and precise, with a lingering saline freshness that keeps the generosity in perfect balance. While beautifully approachable now, this cuvée has the structure and depth to evolve gracefully for a decade or more in the cellar.

Production
Krug Grande Cuvée 173ème Édition is crafted from a wide mosaic of vineyard plots across Champagne, drawing on the region’s diverse terroirs—from chalk-rich slopes to cooler, north-facing parcels—to build depth and complexity. Although the exact blend is proprietary, it is composed of the three classic Champagne varieties—Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier—with the 2017 harvest at its core, complemented by a generous proportion of reserve wines from multiple previous years. Each plot is harvested by hand and vinified separately in small oak casks, a traditional Krug hallmark that enhances texture, nuance and longevity. After blending by the Chef de Caves and tasting committee, the wine undergoes a long second fermentation and extended aging on the lees in Krug’s cellars, developing its signature complexity and fine, creamy mousse before release.

Food & Serving
This rich and layered Champagne is an exceptional match for refined dishes such as lobster or scallops in butter or citrus beurre blanc, roasted poultry with truffle, creamy seafood pastas, or aged hard cheeses like Comté and Parmesan. Its tropical and citrus-inflected profile also pairs beautifully with foie gras, delicate Asian-inspired cuisine with a touch of spice, and sophisticated canapés. Serve well-chilled at around 8–10°C (46–50°F) to highlight its freshness while allowing the aromatic layers to unfold. Decanting is not necessary, but pouring into larger, tulip-shaped Champagne glasses rather than narrow flutes will let the bouquet and texture fully express themselves.

Producer
Founded in 1843 in Reims, Krug is one of Champagne’s most revered houses, renowned for its uncompromising focus on quality and its distinctive approach to blending. The estate’s philosophy centers on treating each vineyard parcel as a separate "cru" with its own personality, vinifying in small oak barrels to preserve detail and character. Over generations, Krug has become synonymous with luxurious, ageworthy Champagnes, with Grande Cuvée considered its calling card and one of the region’s greatest multi-vintage wines. Under the guidance of Chefs de Caves such as Eric Lebel and now Julie Cavil, Krug has continued to set benchmarks in Champagne for complexity, precision, and longevity, earning a devoted following among collectors and fine-dining sommeliers worldwide.