Krug Grande Cuvee 162nd Edition #213032 MV (750ML)

97 JS / 96 DE / 95 WA / 94 VM / 18.5 JR

A Grande Cuvee that’s starting to show some age with a nutty undertone to the biscuit and pie crust, as well as cooked apple and lemon curd. Toast, too. Full and round with very fine bubbles. Fine and silky, going on for minutes. The oldest wine in this is 1990, but the base is 2006. Perfect now. - James Suckling

Reserve wine has brought the 162ème edition (which is based on the 2006 vintage) a noticeable amount of maturity, with aromas of brioche, coconut, truffle and a hint of honey. The texture is silky and elegant. Initially somewhat restrained, it opens with time on the palate. It was produced from almost two-thirds black grapes, but the oldest reserve wine was a Chardonnay from Le Mesnil dating to 1990. It aged seven years on the lees and was disgorged in the autumn of 2016 to produce a wine of marvellous complexity and elegant finesse. - Charles Curtis MW, Decanter

Once again, I revisited Krug's NV Grande Cuvée 162ème Édition in the company of the 2006 Brut—supplemented this year by the 2006 Clos du Mesnil. Based on the 2006 vintage, complemented by some 40% reserve wines dating back to 1990, the Krug tasting committee sought out racier, fresher reserve wines as a counterpoint to the gourmand, generous character of the base year, and that has worked very well. Mingling aromas of dried fruits, pear and toasted brioche with nuances of iodine, candied peel and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and lively, with fine depth at the core and beautiful balance, marrying beautifully vibrant fruit with the complex patina that is the house's signature. - WK, Wine Advocate

The NV Grande Cuvée 162ème Édition, built around the 2006 vintage, is fabulous. All of the natural radiance and intensity of the year comes through in the wine’s ample, resonant personality. Apricot, peach, mint, chamomile, baked apple and lightly honeyed notes all build in racy, sumptuous Grand Cuvée that delivers the goods big time. Readers will find a gorgeous, open-knit Champagne loaded with class and personality. The 162 is still a baby, in fact it hasn’t aged much at all since I last tasted it in 2014, although this is a recent disgorgement. This is the first release that transitioned to the Édition labeling, which was used for some of the later batches, with the 163 being the first wine released as an Édition from the very beginning. Readers will find a small amount of the 162 on the market, most of it reserved for three-packs with the Vintage and Clos du Mesnil, and yes, you 94 Antonio Galloni 2020 - 2035 Not Available Sep 2020 (Hover for Commentary) Tasting Drinking Release Review  © 2023 Vinous Media LLC · Privacy · Terms & Conditions Vintage Producer Name Notes Score Author Window Price Date guessed it, mixed six packs in wood cases spanning two series; the Éditions 161 through 166 and Éditions 162 through 167. It is an absolutely gorgeous wine. The 162 is based on 2006 and includes wines from 11 vintages going back to 1990. This is Krug ID: 416037. -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

ID 416037. The edition of Grande Cuvée based on 2006, not the edition current in 2020 which is the 168ème. The reserve wines in this blend go back to a Mesnil Chardonnay 1990.
Of the three wines – Clos du Mesnil 2006, Krug vintage 2006 and this one – this has the most complex and cerebral nose. It's easy to see why they suggest this should be tasted last. See this tasting note on the wine dated June 2019. This was by far the most complex and rewarding of the three wines. Layered and ready with a top note that rather unexpectedly reminded me of prunes! Bravo! Proof that Grande Cuvée is the best-value wine from Krug!