2011 Krug Brut Champagne [JS98][JD97][D93]

Producer: Krug  
Region: Champagne, France 
Blend: Champagne Blend 
Year: 2011  

James Suckling, 98 Points 

"It shows reserved character but with a lot of energy and tension. Concentrated citrus fruit, candied lemons and mandarin peel with hints of savory herbs and spices. Notes of brioche and caraway seeds. Full-bodied, complex and nervy on the palate. It has fine, silky bubbles yet it’s structured and firm with a lot of power. It builds up on the finish with freshness and vibrancy." 

Jeb Dunnuck, 97 Points 

"Because 2011 was a challenging vintage for Champagne, it would be very easy to over-generalize, as many readers may have had less than ideal experiences elsewhere. But Krug’s 2011 Champagne Millesime Brut is not your average Champagne. With a rounded nose, it pours a medium golden straw hue and is creamy with aromas of orange blossoms, custard, fresh pear, hazelnut, and delicate smoky incense. Medium to full-bodied and refined on the palate, it has a rounded and pristine profile, with ripe, balanced fruit floating through the palate, a pinpoint mousse, and a delicate hint of almond skin on the finish that I would expect to become more pronounced with age." 

Decanter, 93 Points 

"Krug has termed the 2011 vintage ‘spirited roundness’. Krug has sought to elevate what cellar master Julie Cavil terms the ‘duality’ of the vintage: the ‘generosity’ of the Chardonnay and the ‘strict, solid’ Pinot Noir. As such, the fruit is more tilted to greengage and lime than sunnier yellow or orange tones, intriguing in its subtle creaminess and detailed with notes of charcoal, green tea and toasted almond. There's a proper snap of cooked lime freshness keeping it taut, yet an up-front juiciness of white pear flesh and pale stone fruit promising immediacy. The 'roundness' moniker rings true, although it is a fairly reserved, quiet sort of roundness rather than anything powerful or decadent. It's rare to get a solo taste of the 2011 vintage presented with such ambition, and there's no surprise in finding that Krug has backed it with a rewarding wine." 

Alcohol: 12.5% 

*Discounts do not apply to items like this one in the Fine & Rare category. Price and availability in store may vary.