Thanks to Johnny’s powerful wine network, we had the great pleasure to experience the Krug Grande Cuvee MV (multi-vintage) Old Label again!

This bottle is from a German wine collector’s cellar. From the shape of the cork, I guess this bottle was disgorged 5 to 6 years ago ---- a mid aged (post disgorgement) Grande Cuvee.

Golden robe. Very fine and lazy bubbles.

The nose and palate are so complex, harmonious and long lasting that it’s really like a never ending symphony ---- we tried very hard to be patient in order to hopefully experience its whole evolution, yet we when finished the very last drop 3 hours after uncorking, we sadly found the wine still has many untold stories --- and mind you this is just a 750ml bottle, not magnum!

Frankly, what impressed me most is NOT the complexity of the aromas and flavors: brioche, roasted nuts, dried fruits, cream, butter, acacia honey, mocha, vanilla, Asian spices and discreet mineral notes ---- you just name them, and you find them all here...It is the seamless integration of all these sensational elements into total harmony that makes the legend!

We drank this bottle over 3 hours’ time and the wine in glass withstood temperature changes from 9 DEG.C all the way up to 17 DEG.C! During each and every stage, the wine can always gracefully find its ‘balance’, or, I’d rather say ‘harmony’, with flawless texture and structure. The tough acidity is so beautifully enveloped that the wine is gorgeously polished ---- but you know the acidity is strong as the wine does not taste oily at all, even @ 17 DEG..C, and even in 3 hours after uncorking, it still has plenty of life ahead ---- I think this bottle has the ageing potential to improve further with at least 5 more years in a proper cellar.

The greatest thing about this Grande Cuvee Old Label is its versatility ---- If I am limited to serving just one wine for a gourmet dinner, it will have to be Krug Grande Cuvee Old Label with some post disgorgement bottle age! It is capable of gracefully playing all the roles from aperitif to dessert wine!

A masterpiece of blending! I think any Krugist will agree that one has to experience Grande Cuvee Old Label, preferably with some bottle age, to understand what is Krug style, and why Krug insists it is unfair to call ‘Grande Cuvee’ a ‘non-vintage’, but instead define ‘Grande Cuvee’ as ‘multi-vintage’!