Champagne Grande Cuvee Flaschengärung

Lobenberg: Krug wie immer: Eine perfekt abgestimmte Cuvee. Eleganz und Finesse, zart und doch kraftvoll. 95-97/100

-- Winespectator: This is all about balance and the integration of power and finesse, with finely honed acidity supporting flavors of quince paste, dried black cherry, spun honey and candied orange zest, while rich notes of roasted walnut, coffee liqueur and toasted cardamom resonate on the finish. Hard to stop sipping. Drink now through 2028. 97/100

-- Parker: Compared to Krug's 160th edition, the bright golden-yellow colored NV Grande Cuvée 166ème Édition (ID117010) is still a baby that shows the chalky and fruity features of a young white Burgundy intermixed with notes of Schwarzwälder Kirsch (dark cherries with black chocolate) and floral (ammonia) flavors on the pure, fresh and elegant yet intense and still yeasty brioche nose with its ripe apple aromas and refreshingly bright (lemon juice) overtones. Round, wide and very elegant yet also straight and tense on the palate, this 2010-dominated cuvée is very delicate, fresh and chalky but also dense and lush in its vinous texture. The finish is well-structured, fresh and persistent, indicating great complexity and vibrancy. However, I would wait at least another three years, during which time the 166th edition will gain even more finesse and quiet. The 166ème Édition is composed of 140 wines from 13 different harvests between 1998 and 2010, and it's a blend of 45% Pinot Noir with 39% Chardonnay and 16% Pinot Meunier, the latter of which provides the vivacity that the Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs surprisingly didn't have in 2010, a vintage that was marked by its "tumultuous climate," as Eric Lebel writes. Tasted in New York in November 2018.

-- Suckling: Quite subtle and reserved with blue-fruit, iodine and white-pepper character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a tight, reserved palate and ultra fine and light, chewy tannins that go on for minutes. Better in 2022. 97/100

-- Falstaff: nsgesamt kamen nicht weniger als 198 Weine aus elf Jahrgängen zum Einsatz, um dieses Gesamtkunstwerk zu schaffen. Gibt es einen Champagner ohne Jahrgang, der besser ist? Wenn ja, dann kenne ich ihn nicht: helles Goldgelb, Silberreflexe, sehr feines, anhaltendes Mousseux. Facettenreiches Bukett nach gelbem Kernobst, etwas Backwerk, kandierten Orangenzesten, Blütenhonig und Mandelkuchen, florale Nuancen im Hintergrund. Stoffig am Gaumen, seidige, extraktsüße Textur, feine haselnussige Nuancen, helle Schokolade, finessenreicher Säurebogen, sehr elegant und lange anhaftend, im Abgang Akzente von Orangen und Nougat, mineralisch-salziger Touch im Rückgeschmack, feine Honignuancen im Nachhall, ein vielseitiger Speisenbegleiter mit großem Entwicklungspotenzial. 98/100