1996 Champagne Krug, Clos d'Ambonnay, Blanc de Noirs, Brut
Critics reviews
Antonio Galloni - 22/12/2009
About this WINE
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.
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
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
Ambonnay has been described by Michael Edwards as the ‘Volnay of Champagne’. It is a Grand Cru vineyard located on the south-eastern flank of the Montagne de Reims, and is dominated by Pinot Noir, its sparkling progeny exhibiting the feminine elegance for which this style of Burgundy is so well known.
Elegant is may be, but the styles of Krug’s two single vineyard wines (the other being, of course, Clos de Mesnil in the Côte-de-Blancs) could not be more different. The Clos du Mesnil is an archetype of le Mesnil-sur-Oger Chardonnay, with cut-glass definition and operatic scope…… Mozart, however.
Clos D’Ambonnay is more Verdi, mid-period Verdi at that, ludic, muscular, memorable. The Clos D’Ambonnay is a third of the size of the minute Clos Du Mesnil; its 0.68 hectares producing bottles in such limited volumes that the prices have been far from immodest, despite its relative youth. The 1996 has proved a more powerful wine than 1995, its scope and depth more ambitious, ably supported by the acidity for which the vintage is now famous. Brioche, hazelnut, black fruits and hints of ginger and even cloves. Far too young of course, but showing enormous promise.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)
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