In the words of no less than James Halliday, "Krug is the greatest wine of Champagne". At the House of Krug every Vintage is crafted to be different. Every Krug Vintage reveals the expression of a particular year with its distinct character: it is the music of the year as captured by Krug. It is a blend of expressive wines from a single year enhanced by a stay of over ten years in the cellars. The result a manifestation of time, place and feeling that verily leaps from bottle to flute.

Krug Clos du Mesnil is a single-vintage, single-vineyard wine, one of two in the Krug portfolio. It is a blanc-de-blancs (100% Chardonnay) and is considered to be among the finest expressions of this Champagne style. Clos du Mesnil is a 1.84ha walled vineyard (clos) in the centre of the Mesnil-sur-Oger, one of the greatest all-Chardonnay villages of the Côte des Blancs It was included in a larger vineyard purchase made by Remi and Henri Krug in 1979. Krug stresses that the wall itself (built in 1698), plus the unusual location in the centre of the village, create a unique micro-climate that justifies the decision to make what was the first single-site wine in Krugs history.

An impressively rich, dry style from one of the oldest and most distinguished Champagne houses. Pol Roger Brut is perfect both as an occasion wine or for impromptu celebrations.

Disgorged November 2022. Les Longues Voyes translates as ‘the long way’, referring not only to the 25 kilometres that you need to travel from the Laherte estate to arrive at the vineyard but also to the wine’s extended aging: 18 months in barrel and a further 18-20 months in bottle. The fruit is sourced from a single hectare of biodynamic vines in Chamery, Montagne de Reims, owned by a good friend of Aurélien Laherte’s. The 35-year-old vines are rooted in clay and silt over a limestone base. The wine was made from a single four-tonne press of grapes, which fermented naturally and matured in old Clos des Epeneaux and Leroux barrels. There was no malolactic conversion, and the dosage was 4 g/L. So, the estate now has two vintage Blanc de Noirs released at the same time: Les Vignes d’Autrefois from Meunier and Les Longues Voyes from Pinot Noir. The first comes from a chalky subsoil and the second from limestone, and it is fascinating to compare the different structures that result. Fans of Pinot Noir on limestone should move to the front of the queue.

The acidity is firmer here than the Meunier Blanc de Noirs (Vignes d'Autrefois), with a chewy austerity typical of limestone in Champagne. Regardless, it is fine and poised on the palate with impressive balance, racy freshness and fine chalk-infused bitters that drive a long, sapid finish—an outstanding Blanc de Noirs.