Krug Clos d’Ambonnay – Archetype Tasting
Wine Tasting, December 30th, 2019
Experience one of the rarest and most legendary Champagne wines in the world – Krug Clos d’Ambonnay.
Wine List
- NV Bonnet-Ponson, Extra Brut Cuvée Perpétuelle Champagne, FR
- 2004 De Saint Gall, “Orpale” Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne, FR
- NV Hubert de Claminger, Brut Rosé Grand Réserve, Champagne, FR
- NV Doyard, “Révolution Non Dose” Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature, Champagne, FR
- 2002 Piper-Heidsieck, “Cuvée Rare” Brut, Champagne, FR
- 2004 Bollinger, Vieilles Vignes Françaises, Blanc de Noirs Brut, Champagne, FR
- 1998 Krug, Clos d’Ambonnay, Blanc de Noirs Brut, Champagne, FR
- 2005 Domaine Huet, “Le Mont” Vouvray Demi-Sec, Loire Valley, FR
- 1999 Jean-Michel Dupré, “Haute Ronze” Régnié, Beaujolais, FR
- 2001 Giuseppe Quintarelli, Valpolicella DOC, Veneto, IT
- 1999 Saint Cosme, Côte-Rôtie, Northern Rhône, FR
- 1997 Warre’s, Vintage Porto, Duriense, PT
About this Event
Archetype Tasting Group:
Endeavoring to experience the greatest wines in the world.
Featured Wine: 1998 Krug, Clos d’Ambonnay, Blanc de Noirs, Champagne, France
Few wines exist in the world that combine mysterious intrigue, history, four-digit prices, and depth of intensity as Krug Clos d’Ambonnay. Having only been produced in five vintages ever, this is one of the real treasures of the wine universe. We are thrilled to offer this tasting, as a true “unicorn” wine experience. With this vintage in peak maturity for December 2019, this occasion is truly a once in a lifetime.
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Key Reviews:
The Wine Advocate: The 1998 Brut Blanc de Noirs Clos d’Ambonnay reaffirms my impression from last year. The 1998 is a rich, vinous Clos d-Ambonnay with generous fruit and an inviting, open personality. Crushed flowers, plums, cherries and sweet spices all flow from the glass. Today, the 1998 is rich, deep and highly expressive. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. – Antonio Galloni, Oct 2012
Vinous (keywords selected from four different reviews): white truffle, orange peel, licorice, honey, roasted almonds, crushed flowers, tobacco, autumn leaves, spices, mint, dried cherries, anise, fennel, new leather, plums, sweet spices. Hauntingly beautiful. – reviews from 2011 – 2018
Purple Pages: This is only the third release of this luxury wine. Really quite a dark coppery gold. Very big and bold on the nose. Heady, mushroomy, almost beery! Lovely fine, tiny bead. Like Clos du Mesnil, this has a bone-dry finish and is very forcibly real wine rather than evanescent champagne. Real vinosity; very different in build from other Krug wines. – Jancis Robinson, Nov 2011
Wine Spectator: Exotic on the nose, with woodsy spice and bergamot notes, this luxurious Champagne is driven by vivid, crystalline acidity. A streak of salinity underscores the flavors of black currant pâte de fruit, whole-grain toast, clover honey and chopped almond. Drink now through 2034. Alison Napjus, Dec 2014
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The current range of Champagne Krug:
- MV Grande Cuvée Brut (160ème Édition)
- MV Rosé (23ème Édition)
- Vintage Brut (2006)
- Vintage “Clos du Mesnil” Brut Blanc de Blancs (2004)
- Vintage “Clos d’Ambonnay” Brut Blanc de Noirs (2002)
- Vintage “Krug Collection” Brut (1990)
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Producer Notes:
Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 has intense golden colour with hints of red tones. Amazing aromas of milky caramel, barley sugar, toasted bread, blackcurrant, red fruit jam and jellied fruits. In the palate you may find very rich notes of wild fruits, tarte tatin, brioche, redcurrant and liquorice enhanced by an elegant long finish.
Eric Lebel – Krug Cellar Master, Winemaker
1998 was a classic year, full of contrasts, typical in Champagne with an extremely hot month of August followed by some heavy rains. In the case of Ambonnay, this resulted in astoundingly rich, delicious grapes that hinted at the wonderful potential of 1998 Krug’s Clos d’Ambonnay wines from the very first tasting sessions.
The House of Krug chose to reveal Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 because the year 1998 succeeded in fully expressing the potential of this tiny small walled plot.
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ATTENDANCE:
- Matt B.
- Michele D.
- Nick D.
- Ryan D.
- Lindsay E.
- Xin F.
- Jae H.
- Penny L.
- Tong M.
- Aaron S.
- Jason S.
- Jane W.
