Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

There are certain occasions that call for Krug Rosé. So, HBTM! The bottle was corked in the summer of 2014. It’s a blend of 45 reserve wines with the oldest being from 2007 and the youngest 2002. This is why I think Champagne Makers are some of the most talented people making wine. They are constantly blending up to 100 plus wines to bring that bottle to bottle and year to year branded flavor of consistency. On the nose; red & pink spring flowers, cherries, strawberries, watermelon, black cherry, black raspberries, notes of blood orange citrus, baked bread, soft volcanic mineral and elegant chalkiness. The palate is always ridiculously delicate. Micro bubbles, silky rich texture with beautiful soft acidity. The palate fruits are similar to the nose; rich & ripe cherries, strawberries watermelon, black cherry, black raspberries, notes of blood orange citrus with hints of marmalade. Red & pink spring flowers, baguette crust, soft powdery minerals that give the palate a slight sting and super powdery chalkiness done just right. The finish is beautifully rich, textured, revealing itself in layers and lasts minutes. Photos of; Founder Joseph Krug, House of Krug, Winemaker Eric Lebel, Krug’s Clos du Mesnil, a small plot of 1.85 hectares of Chardonnay...one of the world’s greatest vineyards and their salon tasting room. Producer history & notes...Krug was founded by Joseph Krug in 1853. They are based in Reims, the main city in France’s Champagne region. It is one of the famous Champagne houses that formed part of the Grande Marques. Today the house is majority owned by the multinational conglomerate LVMH, which owns Moët Hennessy, Louis Vuitton S.A. and who’s wine producer portfolio includes other well known wine brands such as; Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Château d'Yquem, Ruinart & Cheval Blanc, Dom Perignon and many others. Despite LVMH's majority ownership, the family is still actively involved in all the key decisions of the house but does not manage the day-to-day operations. Joseph Krug was born Johann-Joseph Krug, a butcher’s son, in Mainz, on the Rhine in 1800 when the city was part of the Napoleonic Empire. Having dispensed with the name Johann, he left Mainz in 1824 and in 1834 moved on to Paris. Germans were in demand in France as accountants and bookkeepers. So, Joseph joined Champagne Jacquesson in Châlons-sur-Marne. He spent eight years with Jacquesson. His work took him beyond accountancy. He went around Europe testing the market and assessing criticism from wine sellers and customers. He learned about composition and taste so that by 1840 he already seemed to have been blending Champagne for at least one other house. In 1841, he married Emma-Anne Jaunay. The daughter of a French hotelier based in London’s Leicester Square. The following year their son Paul Krug was born. In 1842 he moved to Reims and following a year later, Krug et Cie was founded with his partner, Hyppolite de Vivès. Joseph was fluent in French, English and German and even spoke some Russian, putting the company in position to exploit key overseas markets. Joseph died in 1866 and was succeeded by his son Paul Krug, who had been trained by his father to takeover. Joseph under the supervision of Paul, Krug was established as a Grande Marque. By the 1880s the prestige of Krug was acknowledged in the United Kingdom and became the primary overseas market for Champagne. In 1866, the House moved into Rue Coquebert, in Reims as it remains. After Paul’s death in 1910, he was succeeded by his son, Joseph Krug II. However, during World War I Joseph II was taken prisoner and his wife Jeanne played a key role in the House at a time when the Western Front divided the region between the Allies and the Germans. After the war, Joseph II’s slow recovery led to his nephew Jean Seydoux becoming joint manager in 1924. In that decade, the Krug 1926 and 1928 vintages were created, which have been considered by critics to be amongst the greatest Champagnes. Lawyer and wine writer Maurice Healey declared “Krug” the king of all Champagnes. Further, “that the 1928 Krug was the best wine made in the present century.” By the mid-1930s, Paul Krug II, the son of Joseph II, was active in the business and would become head of the House from 1959 to 1977. His father died in 1967, by which time he was, according to Patrick Forbes, “one of the most popular and respected figures in the Champagne district.” In 1962 Henri Krug, the son of Paul II, joined the management, as did his brother Remi three years later. Their arrival was followed by a series of innovations, including extensions in the range of Champagnes. In 1979, for the first time, a graduate winemaker joined the House. In January 1999, the House became part of LVMH and by 2007, the brothers, while remaining on the tasting committee, had stepped down from day-to-day responsibilities. In 2009 Olivier Krug, the son of Henri, became House Director. At harvest, Krug grapes are pressed close to their plots with the first juice kept for 24 hours in a vat prepared for the fermentation stage. The pressing from each plot is vinified separately. A pressing contains 4,000 kilos of grapes and yields 20.5 hectolitres of first juice (cuvée), which is poured into twelve oak casks chosen at random. Once fermentation is complete, the eleventh and twelfth casks are used to top up the other ten casks in order to protect the new wines from oxidation. For fifteen days, each cask is topped up with wine from the same plot. Krug uses small 205 liter oak casks tailor-made from trees that are more than two centuries old in the forests of Hautes Futaies in Central France. The average age of Krug oak casks is 20 years. They are retired after approximately 40 years of use. The wines remain in the casks for several weeks. During this period, clarification occurs naturally from the cool temperature of the cellar given the coming winter, as does a micro-oxygenation process from the use of natural containers, making the wine more resistant to oxygen over time. Finally, between December and January, the wine is drawn off into small stainless-steel vats. From here, depending on the decisions of Krug’s tasting committee, the wines will either contribute to that year’s assemblage or be stored in steel vats in the House’s library of 150 reserve wines to be used in the blend of a future Krug Grande Cuvée and or Krug Rosé. — 7 years ago

Russ Bus

9.3

Gravelly rocky vyard with old scrub waist-high vines. Benito Dusi Ranch farmed by Benito since 1940s (older brother Dante owned vyard twice as big and half as old.... Turley/four vines/J.Dusi origins). Oldest vines in Paso. First winery to put "PasoRobles" on a wine label est 1969 (not officially AVA until ten years later in the 80s) so keep it as appellation for historical purposes even though it's a single vineyard. 3 miles south of 101. 25acres/92-years old planted in 1922. Head trained, 2.6t/a. Purple floral nose; Dark, brooding, black fruit, molasses, tar, and barrel spice on the palate. Robust well knit tannin. — 9 years ago

David Monaghan

8.9

All the single ladies, all the single ladies... Forget about getting to a mans heart through, food and lingerie and pleasing chit chat.. Head straight for a Barbera... It's a rainbow of flavours including cherry and a hint of smoke with a lightness akin to a mousse..its 14% so watch it in date night... Boys rejoice we haven't found a classic but this is one for the man cave; place it beside the Brut, Old Spice, Cans of Dutch Gold, Cuban Cigars, copies of Hussler... Bacchus this is not one for a god but it's god damn good@Delectablewine Delectablewine — 10 years ago

with Baroness

William Douglas

9.3

12 year old Pinot. From the start I'm shaking my head. The cherry nose is unbelievably strong. Sweet cherry nose - one of the most amazing smells I've ever had. Strong alcohol for a Pinot 13.5%. Flavours are over-powering - strongly over-powering - cherry - acid still there and a long longer. So unexpected - Gary Farr - hats off and bowing - how do you do this? I think this is amazing! Personally a little more subtle would get a better rating from me - 3/7/9 = 19.5 out of 100 = 93 — 10 years ago

with Ameilia

Patrick Wang

9.0

Creamy head, malty aroma, not too much bite — 11 years ago

Steven W Alexander

9.5

Old vines. Crushing minerality. Savoie game changer. Frangy to the head. — 11 years ago

Ray Hartnedy

9.9

Fruit explosion that builds the longer it sits in your mouth. Slightly sweet like a younger fruit-forward old vine gnarly head, but with so much more body and depth. — 12 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.2

Clear medium garnet, Slow long tears, tiny sediment specs in bottom of glass. Wood and dark spiciness on the nose. Dry, Med+ acidity, med tannin. Fresh fruit has faded a bit since release, still has plum & red fruit notes, red grape skins, along with dried fruits (dried cranberry, figs), soil & wood notes (barrel and vine), spiciness in the Chinese five-spice direction. Mature with some years ahead of it. Elegant old vine zin.

California Heritage Vineyard, 2.5 acres planted in 1882, gnarly, head-pruned, dry-farmed non-grafted vines with root system 30-40 feet deep, and is one of the world’s oldest documented Zinfandel vineyards.
http://www.picchetti.com
https://historicvineyardsociety.org — 7 years ago

Ron R

9.0

This is a good wine, but my head wasn't in the right place for it tonight. I craved a big Cali fruit bomb. But wifey is not drinking for a month, so I'm left to pick through my old-world stuff. This was wasted on me tonight. — 8 years ago

Robert Rothfield

9.5

Drank a bunch of wines with Joe Davis today but this was head and shoulders the best....hard to believe a 15 year old could be so fresh — 9 years ago

Scott Rowe

8.9

Tasted side by side with the Old Vine 2013, the Old Vine just took out the head to head when blind. — 9 years ago

Jan Roessner

9.3

I don't know where my head is at the moment. This vertiginous Petite Sirah was paired with a feast for the eyes sous vide rib-eye finished and charred on the open flame. Rarely, I have tasted so defined notes of fruit and tannins. It is a must to taste and it's length clearly helps it keep up with similar crafts from the old world. — 9 years ago

Dock Hooks

9.0

Dark fruit balanced through old oak showing light spice on the nose encouraging thought to nail a specific note but is remaining a bit of an enigma in my rock rattled head after a good day enhanced by 75 MPH Harley induced wind and the brilliance of Bose and an iPhone. Ok, back to the wine, it touches, lightly grabs spreading its dark berry mini-burst in a layered earth touched tannin slow ride making magic with some of Chapel Hill's Bin 54's straight up amazing goodness (in this case very rare filet mignon, garlic tinged green beans and almond slivers; my go to steak spot in NC). Damn, this is all so right-on! Cheers! — 10 years ago

Paul MacWilliams

9.3

West Coast IPA from the East Coast. Surprisingly delicious — 10 years ago

Dirk Pitt.

9.0

For a 8 year old wine, presently surprised. Still has some great acid and tannins. A long life a head of it. — 10 years ago

with Winehouse

Fai Borowiec

9.6

OMG, this win is so delish. Even better than their Old Vine Zin. This spells trouble! — 11 years ago

Charles Lodowski

9.6

Huge old world, blow your head off Barolo. Needed time to fully open. — 11 years ago

Paul Kaan

Winemaker/Blogger FilthyGoodVino.com

9.5

My vitamin of choice last night 1995 @YarraYering Dry Red No.1 Perfumed, elegant, acid driven. #FilthyOldVino Opulent, juicy red fruit holds it on the knife's edge from being a shade green. Intriguing play on texture, flavour and balance #YarraValley #Wine #Cabernet For more Filthy Old Vino head to http://filthygoodvino.com/from-the-cellar/ — 12 years ago

Lindsey King

9.4

Raspberry compote, creme de violette, a handful of wet soil with crushed twigs and leaves. Balance and structure like the work of a romantic carpenter building his dream house. Like a semi-lucid dream where a warm, hazy sky is breaking like a glow stick into twilight hues and you’re on a beautiful old double decker steam train with a rooftop standing area. You’re whizzing by vibrant green fields of gigantic flowers, their petals flapping slowly in the wind like sheets drying on a line. Old oak trees growing fruits in colours that don’t exist yet. Glowing fireflies just above your head like painterly orange astronomy. In the dream it’s New Years Eve but in the dream everyday is New Years Eve and you could very well spend everyday alone with your dream power. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

A group of guys decided to meet up at our Wine Storage facility and bust out some unique bottles! Scores and notes to follow!

Bill was on point tonight wanting to prove to Weston that petite sirah can be delicious, but took a break from PS to bust this out. 😱 WOW! Absolutely superb. Toe to toe with the Peter Michael. Had more structure and complexity. The plum, tart fruit and earthy component to this for 16 yrs Old was so impressive. — 8 years ago

with Mark and Weston

Chris England

9.4

This 2k Pom is drinking superbly now @ £68

🍇 67% Merlot & 33% Cab F

🍷 Deep ruby red

👃 Like sticking your head in a old soaked oaky vat oozing heady smoke, liquorice, stewed plum, cherry, cocoa, damp cellar, wet earth, leather, truffle & mushrooms - I could sniff this all day 😍

👄 Med+ silky creamy body of gushy plum & cocoa beautifully integrated & balanced

🎯 Med+ mocha infused liquorice plumtastic chopper licker — 8 years ago

Melissa Wickert

9.2

Easy to drink. Smooth. Just slightly sweet, no alcohol-y after taste.
— 9 years ago

Craig Lewin

9.5

Party with Tamara, Murray, and Greg. This one paired well with the ginger inn the Mediterranean chicken. — 9 years ago

David Kline

9.0

With a head somewhere between cappuccino and fine rosé champagne both in color and bubble. And a dark Amber body bordering on red, this powerful Sphinx tempts you near its maw. A mallard appears in my glass in the foam voids. There is a sweet cinnamon and cherry candy present, but also a marinated mushroom quality to the nose. You sense the granite jaw, and await the iron fist. But the gloves come off, and this model is lithe after a spin around the sun, exhibiting honey and tea, leather touches, finesse and power seamlessly mesh with a vanilla bean and sweet tobacco, cinnamon and toast component. Your tongue has a new friend! #northcoastbrewing #oldstock #agedbeer — 9 years ago

with Courtney

Andrew Cebulka

9.7

2 yrs old! So well balanced with malt and subtle hop background. Near perfect imperial IPA — 10 years ago

Brash Higgins

9.0

Old world vs New World head fuck. Real peppery and real good — 10 years ago

Adam Stone

9.7

From 36 year old, head trained vines cared for by Bill Dillian. Aromas of fig, green apple, and honeysuckle with a rich, honeyed texture. — 11 years ago

Boxer Briefs

9.4

A #wine with a story. 130 year old gnarly head trained Oregon Zinfandel vines — 11 years ago

Erin Crain

9.4

The Heritage Vineyard #Zinfandel, 2011 - nice fruit and well balanced. Made by winemaker Scott Harvey, vineyard is the University of California, Davis research station in Oakville, traditional head trained and spur pruned in "goblet" style old vines. Sponsored by the Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers. Zinfandel.org — 11 years ago

William Allen - Two Shepherds

Owner/Winemaker Two Shepherds

9.6

2011 new Grenache from Kenny - Alexander Valley, 80 year old head trained, dry farmed. $30 — 12 years ago

with Lynn