Interesting dilemma (can one even call it that)as I am looking to add additional champagne this week- Krug or Dom (While I am comfortable with red wine trajectory champagne alludes me a bit)? While I enjoy champagne, I tend to drink it without food (allergic to shellfish) and therefore can’t appreciate severely acidic profiles and therefore prefer a bit rounder (which a handful of years in the cellar will typically achieve).
Krug 168 vs 2008 Dom? The Krug 168e has a much more pronounced laser acid profile vs the typical fuller Krug-y. I would typically prefer Krug with years in the cellar but not sure how this will develop- will the acid calm down and allow the rest of the profile to emerge or would the 2008 Dom be the better longer term play?
I know the styles are typically very different but this edition of Krug seems a bit different. Any thoughts out there from anyone that is very familiar with both would be appreciated. Thank you.
The Krug is slightly unique for the house but it’s not THAT different. If you prefer Krug in general and especially if you plan to age I’d not overthink it. The question I think is how long to you plan to age them, the Dom I’d think will have a longer curve, especially to get where you want it to go.
Honestly can’t go wrong here. Generally I think Krug MV is the best long term aging value, but both are fantastic wines. Krug 168 will probably be the richer wine.
They are both really good and going to develop wonderfully for a long time. I would give a slight edge to the Krug based on my personal preferences, but you can make a case either way. I would go with whichever of the wines you tend to prefer in other vintages/releases.
As for the Krug 168 edition, I don’t find it to be all that full of acidity vs. other recent releases; the 164 was way more tightly coiled on release and many other releases with less acidity showed more overt acidity because the fruit wasn’t as strong in the wine. The 168 does have immense structure, but it is also full of rich fruit to balance the wine out - that is the trademark of 2012 and what makes it special. With no straight 2012 vintage being made by Krug, there was a high volume of good fruit available for the Grande Cuvee.
Agree. They’re both high-quality bottles from producers with phenomenal track records for producing ageworthy wines. The difference is mostly a matter of personal preference. My (slight) preference is Krug.
I buy all my French wine, still and sparkling from one distributor. He ships all over for me, even when I travel. Ping me and I would be happy to share.
NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 168eme- France, Champagne (5/31/2020)
Seems unanimous 168 requires air. I tasted immediately after opening and wasn’t thrilled. Nose of sliced almonds and something which I can’t pin down. Two of the other champagne showed much better. Revisited after an hour and it clearly improved, even adding a little weight to the palate. It’s nice but not at the elite status right now. I’d put some time on these.
Brig and I have a common friend who really likes Krug, and it’s because of her that I bought this (and the 167) last year. We drank the 167 on New Year’s Eve and I thought it was good, but due to the pandemic, we have been unable to get together to do the 168, which we finally did on Saturday. Brig and I shared the bottle with her. My judgment is that I’d rather have a bottle of Vilmart GCdO and Marie Courtin Efflorescence for the same money.
NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 168eme- France, Champagne (5/31/2020)
This needed air to develop some complexity but in honesty, the Gimmonet SC and the Vouette et Sorbee d’Argile beat the Krug. Yes, the Krug was good and it did develop flavor and balance with the aeration, but at $150-170 a bottle, is it really better a 2-3X the price of these other two wines. For me, I’d rather sink the money into these other wines, or if I want to do a bit less than the Krug pricing, I’d rather have Vilmart CdC.
Yikes ok thank you all for the insight. I won’t add additional 168 to my cellar but hope that over the years 168 grows up to be something special. Thank you again for all of your input and help.
For my taste Krug MV is a pretty singular wine and is not substitutable when I desire the Krug profile. Most any champagne that is priced over say $150 there are always considerations as to value because you can get awesome champagne for $75. Maybe that’s why I buy a lot of Krug in 375ml.
