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95 JG. "Since their original release, I have always been a big fan of the 1981s from Krug, which soon were lost in the shadow of the 1982s, but which were impeccably made wines from the start. I had not tasted a bottle of the 1981 vintage from Krug in many years (the ’81 Clos de Mesnil was absolutely monumental the last time I crossed paths with it), and this fairly recent release as part of the “Krug Collection Series” was a magical magnum of bubbly at its apogee. This is quite a unique vintage for Krug, as it is the only one to be more than fifty percent chardonnay, as this grape simply excelled in the ’81 vintage. The superb and beautifully mature nose offers up a complex mélange of brioche, orange zest, apples, a touch of hazelnuts and a beautifully complex base of minerality. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, crisp and à point, with a fine core of fruit, excellent, beautifully-integrated acids and superb length and grip on the complex and maturing finish." View From the Cellar, Nov/Dec 2011, Issue #36 |