Ratings & Tasting Notes:
95 points Decanter
Review Date: 04/2022
An impression of softness rather than the compact angularity I associate with this year in Champagne. Yet there are quite lovely citric intruding details in the wine, and a pithy, chalk-silk tension. And there’s a buttery undertow adding gravitas. But all this resolves on the back palate into something sleek and more compact with great length. A sense that 2007 is transcended here by the relatively high proportion of fine, firm and fruity Meunier and the 12 different years that contribute to the modest fraction of reserve wines going back to 1990. Delightful, and this bottle being disgorged in the winter of 2019 promises much for the next five to 10 years. Main harvest: 2007. 27% reserves. Aged on lees for over 10 years. Disgorged: Late 2019. (TH)
95 points Vinous
Review Date: 07/2017
The NV Grand Cuvée 163 Edition is wonderfully open-knit and giving, qualities that make it a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next 30 or so years. Pastry, apricot, lemon confit, chamomile and white flowers, along with soft contours, give the wine its inviting, alluring personality. There is more than enough energy and overall freshness to support several decades of fine drinking. Even so, the 163 is virtually impossible to resist at this early stage. (AG)
95 points Wine Spectator
Review Date: 08/2017
A racehorse of a Champagne, this mouthwatering sparkler offers aromatic hints of toast and vanilla lacing the tightly knit profile of crème de cassis, ground coffee and mandarin orange peel flavors, with a long thread of anise and cardamom spice notes unraveling on the palate. This is like raw silk. (AN)
Cult Wines International Notes:
The Krug ID on this bottle indicates that it is the 163eme edition.
Composed around the harvest of 2007, Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition is a blend of 145 wines from 12 different years. The youngest is from the year 2007 and the oldest dates back to 1990.
In all, reserve wines from the House’s extensive library made up 27% of the final blend, bringing the breadth and roundness so essential to each Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée.
The final composition of this champagne is 37% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay and 31% Meunier.
In all, over 20 years of careful craftsmanship were necessary to enjoy Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition.
The Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition is the ultimate expression of the philosophy of Joseph Krug, who founded the House in 1843 with the radical ambition to create the most generous Champagne every year, regardless of annual climate variations. To achieve this, Krug abandons the notion of a “standard” non-vintage, instead treating each release as a unique “Édition” composed from a vast library of reserve wines. The 163ème Édition is centered around the harvest of 2007, a year that challenged the traditional Champagne calendar. This Édition is a masterful blend of 183 wines from 12 different years, with the oldest dating back to 1990. By blending across more than a decade of vintages, the House ensures that the signature Krug profile—defined by depth, complexity, and an unmistakable toasted hazelnut character—is preserved with absolute precision.
The 2007 growing season, which forms the backbone of this Édition, was one of the most unusual in the region’s history. An exceptionally warm spring led to the earliest flowering in decades, but the momentum was stalled by a cool, overcast summer that lacked significant sunshine. This required the viticultural team to be incredibly selective, as the lack of heat slowed ripening and heightened the risk of disease. However, a sunny and dry August saved the vintage, allowing the grapes to reach maturity with a surprising level of aromatic freshness and elegance. At Krug, the 2007 wines were noted for their vivacity and structure, particularly the Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs. After resting for seven years in the cellars, the 163ème Édition emerged as a vibrant, multi-layered masterpiece that highlights the resilience of the 2007 fruit when bolstered by the House’s legendary reserve stocks.
Bottle Size:
750 mL
Storage History:
Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.
Condition:
Please note: The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold.
Outstanding condition.
