I just recently acquired a few HALF bottles of M.V. Krug that were recently released direct from LVMH. What is the expected aging curve of these? I have about zero experience with Krug or other high end Champers and any advice would be most welcome. Would a plan of drinking one every year on my birthday until all consumed be a good idea?
TIA
I would hold for 2-3 years before even starting on them, after which your plan sounds good. I think it was Jancis Robinson who speculated that these aren’t given as much aging at Krug before release as they used to get, which is actually the most charitable explanation for the apparent drop in quality around the time of the transition from the purple- to gold-label version. If that’s all it is it should only take a few years in the cellar to get a Krugworthy experience out of them. If not you can always sell 'em…
No plan to sell…but I will probably hold for a few years as you suggest.
Bill,
What do you mean when you say the wines were recently released directly from LVMH ?
That is what I was told. They are coming directly from LVMH to the wine store. I assume that means that they haven’t been warehoused anywhere for months/years somewhere in the supply chain.
got a handful of the 375 krug mv with the older red label. Delicious with some age on them Bill.
Hi Bill,
I think you will be happy to age these halves for quite some time, if you like the aromatics and flavors of mature bubbly. IME the Krug Grande Cuvee can last in regular-sized format easily for thirty years and gets better with bottle age. I have not had much experience aging it in half bottle, but I would be very surprised if you do not have at least 15-20 years to play with in terms of positive evolution in half bottle with this wine.
Best,
John
John, thanks for the input.
Bill,
Assuming you have a new release, I would pop one now to see what you think. Since you say you don’t have a lot of experience with Krug, you might as well check out what a young one tastes like. I’m not big on aging halves, but if they have been well cared for, you should be okay. Bottles of Krug Grande Cuvee can last decades and when to drink them depends on whether you like them fresher with a creamy, zesty citrus spice or with a more mellowed fruit, nutty, spicy, vanilla note. I like them young and old, but I like just about anything Krug.
I opened my first 750 of the new label MV on the Fourth of July, and it had an intensely sulfurous nose. Some nice fruit buried deep underneath, and really nice, fine mousse. Started to open up a little after an hour or so but not nearly what it should have been. So, even if you don’t like aged champagne or even if you just want the zestiness of fresh young bubbly, you still might want to wait on opening for a little while just to let the wine settle in to drinkable form.
This may have been an anomalous bottle, but that’s my impression right now.
Thanks for the additional input guys.
Pretty much in the same boat as everybody else. I’d age them some for sure. Ditto what Brad said. Wouldn’t hurt to go ahead an open up one over the next year just to get a feel for how they’re drinking now and then lay down the rest.