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Wine Description
The Story
Coming from the oldest vines plants of our terroir, this wine is made with the "Coeur de Cuvee" (i.e from 1400 liters instead of 2050 liters for a classic cuvée). Its slow and meticulous development combined with a know how of 5 generations guarantee a precious and exceptional wine.
Blend: 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir
VIneyards: Premier Cru sites
Age of vines: 60 years old
Vinification: Developed exclusively with the heart of the cuvée (1400 l instead of 2050 l)
Ageing: 10 months in barriques (228 litres). 72 months on lees. No malolactic fermentation
Dosage: 7 g/l
Tasting notes: Its straw-yellow colour is accompanied with a fine persistent mousse crowning the disc with a fine and harmonious cord. On the nose, the first aromas of hazelnut and brioche awake the senses. After a few moments, with much of delicacy, subtle notes of vanilla and dried fruit are married with more subtle lemony flavors. The nose is both elegant and powerful, which indicates a wine of great complexity and a beautiful harmony. Once in your mouth, aromas of butter, “crème brûlée” and spices (white pepper) blossom awaken taste buds. It is a gourmand and generous wine with an exceptional freshness. After several minutes of tasting, the complexity and the scarcity of this wine give us an explosion of flavors in the mouth, a real aromatic symphony. Such an incredible personality for this Champagne! This vivacious wine lets your mind wander from bubbles to aromas, that may open our heart.
Food match: This wine pairs well with meat and fish dishes such as crayfish and mushrooms, fried Saint Jacques or even a seared foie gras will bring depth and a deep aromatic evolution to the wine. Such an incredible personnality for this Champagne! This vivacious wine lets your mind wander from bubbles to aromas, a wine that may open "our heart."
Vintage 2012
The next most exceptional vintage since 2008. A truly difficult growing season saw severe frosts in the winter. March brought warmth but early budbreak made the vines vulnerable to spring frosts. Overall, the early growing season was wet, and mildew became a serious issue. However, conditions improved dramatically in the later summer months. An August heatwave resulted in a rapid accumulation of sugar, but fortunately the nights remained cool, which helped to preserve acidity. Although yields were low (averaging at 9,210 kg/ha) due to frost, hail and disease early in the season, the 2012 harvest was exemplary in its maturity, acidity and grape health. A rare high acid, high sugar September harvest with impeccable concentration of flavour and refreshing vibrancy. Pinot Noir is the superstar of the vintage, though Pinot Meunier excelled too. A vintage that promises great longevity for the finest cuvées, it was widely declared by producers. However, Krug decided to invest in its reserve wines on this great year, and no Vintage was produced. The quality of 2012 is universally high, with the greatest releases so far including Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Bollinger La Grande Année and La Grande Année Rosé, as well as Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé.
