October 31, 2024
Krug Vintage 2011 Release
Krug, founded in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug, is celebrated for exceptional champagnes and unwavering quality. Renowned as a gastronomic champagne, its complexity makes it a favourite among chefs and sommeliers, frequently featured in Michelin-starred restaurants. Krug is renowned for its mastery in blending wines from multiple years, but it’s their vintage expressions that truly captivate collectors. Each vintage is crafted only when a year exhibits a unique character worth celebrating.
The 2011 Champagne vintage is known for its challenges, marked by erratic weather: a warm spring, an unseasonably cool summer, sudden intense heat, and unpredictable rain near harvest. Picking began in mid-August, the second earliest on record. The Krug 2011 is down in about 1/3 compared to their usual production of vintage champagne making this a rare wine.
Yet, against this backdrop, Krug’s 2011 release stands as a testament to the house's expertise and boldness under the guidance of Eric Lebel, then Chef de Cave. This vintage, despite its hurdles, surprises with its open and mid-weight profile, displaying apple blossom, white fruits, hazelnut, and subtle smokiness. The Champagne’s precise structure, gentle minerality, and potential for age-worthy development make it captivating. Enthusiasts of Krug’s signature style will find immediate pleasure, with the promise of evolving complexity over time.
In a world where 2008s and even 2002s are still considered ‘young’, having a vintage that you can open sooner can be a blessing and the 2011 does just that. With 98 points from James Suckling and 97 points from both Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Spectator, Krug 2011 proves its worth.
This vintage offers the rare opportunity to enjoy a top-tier champagne that is ready to drink sooner, making it a must-have for your collection. Don’t miss this exceptional vintage edition.
Krug Vintage Brut 2011
98 Points | James Suckling
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. Drink or hold.
97 Points | Jeb Dunnuck
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. Following the more tension-driven vintage of 2008, which was characterized by a more high-toned and lemon-tinged profile, this wine will be accessible sooner (probably also the case for the future release of 2012) and will undoubtedly provide an open window for drinking over the coming 15 to 20 years. Drink 2028-2048.
97 Points | Wine Spectator
There's an exuberant appeal to this vivid, fragrant Champagne, with wafts of lime blossoms, cardamom, ground coffee and anise aromatics finely layered with flavors of crushed black cherry, glazed tangerine and grilled nut that show a streak of salinity. Yet this reveals its true class with the deft integration of rich flavors with chiseled acidity and refined, plush texture. Long and seamless, this is not just a catchy tune but a maestro conducting a symphony. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Disgorged summer 2022 (Krug ID 322038). Drink now through 2040.