1996 Champagne Krug, Clos du Mesnil, Blanc de Blancs, Brut

1996 Champagne Krug, Clos du Mesnil, Blanc de Blancs, Brut

Product: 19968118998
 
1996 Champagne Krug, Clos du Mesnil, Blanc de Blancs, Brut

Buying options

Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
You can place a bid for this wine on BBX

Description

Krug Clos de Mesnil brings a dramatic new dimension to the elegance of the Chardonnay grape and the mineral accents of the Mesnil-sur-Oger terroir; hints of flint combine with notes of white peaches, honeyed grapefruit, and candied lemon infused with lime essence. The 1996 is again one of Champagne's reference point wines.

wine at a glance

Delivery and quality guarantee

Critics reviews

Antonio Galloni, Vinous100/100
Krug's 1996 Clos du Mesnil remains one of the greatest Champagnes I have ever tasted. Deep, powerful and explosive, the 1996 possesses tremendous energy. The first signs of aromatic maturity are just starting to appear, but the 1996 remains driven by a range of citrus and mineral-drenched flavors. Readers lucky enough own the 1996 can look forward to many years of pure drinking pleasure. The 1996 is simply sublime.

Drink 2019 - 2039

Antonio Galloni, vinous.com (Jun 2019) Read more
Wine Advocate99/100
As if there were any doubts, Krug’s 1996 Brut Blanc de Blancs Clos du Mesnil reaffirms its position as one of the greatest – if not the greatest – Champagne of this historic harvest. I have had the privilege of drinking the 1996 Clos du Mesnil a few times over the last year and it has always been breathtaking, as it is again today. The wine sparkles on the palate with a brilliant, pointillist expression of fruit, showing surreal detail, depth and polish. Like a finely cut gem, each impression reveals a different and unique shade of nuance. The 1996 Clos du Mesnil coats every inch of the palate with endless layers of perfumed fruit and a chiseled, minerally finish that lasts forever. The oak seems a touch pronounced in this particular bottle, something I have not encountered previously with this wine. If forced to drink only one Champagne (assuming budget was not an issue) I might very well choose Krug’s 1996 Clos du Mesnil. This profound Champagne is as good as it gets. No disgorgement date provided. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2036.

Drink 2011 - 2036

Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (Dec 2009) Read more
Decanter97/100
An extraordinary champagne. Profoundly intense and complex with a fabulously opulent texture and nougat infused depth. A dazzling effort which still needs several more years to approach its peak.

Richard Juhlin, Decanter.com (Mar 2017) Read more

About this WINE

Krug

Krug

Krug was established in 1843 and has since specialised in producing only prestige and specialised champagnes. Krug is the only firm still producing all its champagne in small oak casks, an essential element for developing Krug's intense bouquet and complex flavours. Today, Henri, Rémi and Olivier Krug, who supervise every step of production, tasting and blending, represent the 5th and 6th generations.

With long periods of maturation (6-8 years), Krug champagne continues to age gracefully after release, developing an intensely rich, nutty flavour whilst remaining remarkably fresh.

Krug`s finest champagne is Clos du Mesnil, a 100%-Chardonnay based champagne that comes from a small walled vineyard at Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. It is one of the world`s greatest Blanc de Blanc champagnes.

Find out more
Brut Champagne

Brut Champagne

Brut denotes a dry style of Champagne (less than 15 grams per litre). Most Champagne is non-vintage, produced from a blend from different years. The non-vintage blend is always based predominately on wines made from the current harvest, enriched with aged wines (their proportion and age varies by brand) from earlier harvests, which impart an additional level of complexity to the end wine. Champagnes from a single vintage are labelled with the year reference and with the description Millésimé.

Non-vintage Champagnes can improve with short-term ageing (typically two to three years), while vintages can develop over much longer periods (five to 30 years). The most exquisite and often top-priced expression of a house’s style is referred to as Prestige Cuvée. Famous examples include Louis Roederer's Cristal, Moët & Chandon's Dom Pérignon, and Pol Roger's Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill.

Recommended Producers : Krug, Billecart Salmon, Pol Roger, Bollinger, Salon, Gosset, Pierre Péters, Ruinart


Find out more
Champagne blend

Champagne blend

Which grapes are included in the blend, and their proportion, is one of the key factors determining the style of most Champagnes. Three grapes are used - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

26% of vineyards in Champagne are planted with Chardonnay and it performs best on the Côtes des Blancs and on the chalk slopes south of Epernay. It is relatively simple to grow, although it buds early and thus is susceptible to spring frosts. It produces lighter, fresher wines than those from Burgundy and gives finesse, fruit and elegance to the final blend. It is the sole grape in Blancs de Blancs, which are some of the richest long-lived Champagnes produced.

Pinot Noir accounts for nearly 40% of the plantings in Champagne and lies at the heart of most blends - it gives Champagne its body, structure, strength and grip. It is planted across Champagne and particularly so in the southern Aube district.

The final component is Pinot Meunier and this constitutes nearly 35% of the plantings. Its durability and resistance to spring frosts make the Marne Valley, a notorious frost pocket, its natural home. It ripens well in poor years and produces a soft, fruity style of wine that is ideal for blending with the more assertive flavours of Pinot Noir. Producers allege that Pinot Meunier lacks ageing potential, but this does not deter Krug from including around 15% of it in their final blends.


Find out more