x
  • Country ranking ?

    609
  • Producer ranking ?

    51
  • Decanting time

    30min
  • When to drink

    now to 2035
  • Food Pairing

    Salmon Pâté

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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1998 was a classic year, full of contrasts, typical in Champagne with an extremely hot month of August followed by some heavy rains. In the case of Ambonnay, this resulted in astoundingly rich, delicious grapes that hinted at the wonderful potential of 1998 Krug’s Clos d'Ambonnay wines from the very first tasting sessions.

The House of Krug chose to reveal Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 because the year 1998 succeeded in fully expressing the potential of this tiny small walled plot.

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The Story

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay celebrates with the rarest of Champagnes the unique character of a particular Pinot Noir grape that of a small, walled, 0.68-hectare plot from the heart of Ambonnay, one of the most distinguished villages for this grape variety in Champagne, and one which has played a very special role in the life of the House of Krug. Krug Clos d’Ambonnay reveals a personality with significant presence, great substance and an amazing length and finesse.

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Wine Information

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 has intense golden colour with hints of red tones.
Amazing aromas of milky caramel, barley sugar, toasted bread, blackcurrant, red fruit jam and jellied fruits. In the palate you may find very rich notes of wild fruits, tarte tatin, brioche, redcurrant and liquorice enhanced by an elegant long finish.

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 can be enjoyed with truffles, bold flavours, poultry and noble shellfish (common and spiny lobster). It may also be enhanced by simple but wonderful food pairings such as shavings of aged parmesan, scrambled eggs with truffles, pata negra ham fed with bellota, or toasted rustic bread with truffles and extra virgin olive oil.

“Glorious nose, truffle and musky honey, baked pastry and an extraordinary perfume of fresh vegetable garden and herbs. This is much more like the 1995, dry and rich and powerful. Less complex and precise than the 1995 but similar character. A big vintage. Heat wave few days in August. Doesn't have the electric acidity of the 95. Loaded with flavour and very giving. Ready, and probably the wine you would drink first. Generous, broad, lots of red fruit flavours, lots of pinot flavours, such a vinous character. The more it sits in the glass, the more the complex, aged Pinot flavours come out. “

 

 

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Vintage 1998

This year's harvest is the largest the region has ever seen. Every corner of the appellation has managed to achieve the maximum authorized harvest yield of 10,400 kilos of grapes per hectare. Producers were also allowed to harvest an additional 2,600 kg which was allocated to the Champagne reserve, called blocking. This led to 330 million bottles of champagne being made in total. The lock-in system (which allows more production than necessary to meet demand) was the main tool for maintaining a stable price level in the 1990s.

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

13 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Light and Clear

ending

Long, Smooth and Gentle

flavors

Toasty, Honey and Buttery

nose

Seductive, Tempting and Rich

recommend

Yes

Verdict

Excellent

Written Notes

This is only the third release of this luxury wine. Really quite a dark coppery gold. Very big and bold on the nose. Heady, mushroomy, almost beery! Lovely fine, tiny bead. Like Clos du Mesnil, this has a bone-dry finish and is very forcibly real wine rather than evanescent champagne. Real vinosity; very different in build from other Krug wines.

  • 98p

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 has intense golden colour with hints of red tones.
Amazing aromas of milky caramel, barley sugar, toasted bread, blackcurrant, red fruit jam and jellied fruits. In the palate you may find very rich notes of wild fruits, tarte tatin, brioche, redcurrant and liquorice enhanced by an elegant long finish.

1998 was a classic year, full of contrasts, typical in Champagne with an extremely hot month of August followed by some heavy rains. In the case of Ambonnay, this resulted in astoundingly rich, delicious grapes that hinted at the wonderful potential of 1998 Krug’s Clos d'Ambonnay wines from the very first tasting sessions.

The House of Krug chose to reveal Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 because the year 1998 succeeded in fully expressing the potential of this tiny small walled plot.

The Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1998 has a golden colour with beautifully intense copper-coloured reflections. The nose has scents of milk caramel, barley sugar, toast, blackcurrant, red fruit jam and fruit jelly. On the palate, it reveals flavours of wild fruits, tarte tatin, brioche, gooseberry and liquorice. The incredible intensity of this wine blends perfectly into its unique finish. It has a very good ageing potential.

  • 94p
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Information

Origin

Reims, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Above Average

Value For Money

Satisfactory

Investment potential

Very Good

Fake factory

Be Cautious

Glass time

1h

Drinking temperature

8

Other wines from this producer

Blanc de Blancs

Clos du Mesnil Vinothèque

Grande Cuvée

Grande Cuvée 160ème Édition

Grande Cuvee 161st edition

Grande Cuvée 162ème Édition

Grande Cuvee 163th edition

Grande Cuvee 164th edition

Grande Cuvée - 165ème Édition

Grande Cuvée -166ème Édition

Grande Cuvée 167ème Edition

Grande Cuvée 168éme edition

Grande Cuvee 169th Edition

Grande Cuvée 170ème Édition

Grande Cuvée 171ÉME Edition

Grande Cuvée Edition 167

Krug Clos du Mesnil

Krug Collection

Krug Rosé

Krug Rosé 25ème Édition

Krug Vintage

Private Cuvée

Private Cuvée Extra Sec

Rosé - 18ème Édition

Rose 21st Edition

Rosé 22 Edition

Rosé 27ème Édition

Vintage

Inside Information

eRobertParker.com #203
Nov 2012
Antonio Galloni 93 Drink: 2012 - 2020 $1799-$2168 (2399)
The 1998 Brut Blanc de Noirs Clos d'Ambonnay reaffirms my impression from last year. The 1998 is a rich, vinous Clos d-Ambonnay with generous fruit and an inviting, open personality. Crushed flowers, plums, cherries and sweet spices all flow from the glass. Today, the 1998 is rich, deep and highly expressive. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. 

There are no new vintage wines from Krug, but is always interesting to revisit these wines as they develop so much over time. The biggest news at Krug is the addition of ID Codes to the NV wines, which gives readers the opportunity to get more information on the wines (including disgorgement dates) through Krug's website. It would be great to see more of the larger houses follow suit.
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