The elegance of a gourmand and generous Krug Champagne
Krug 2000 is rich, precise, complex and indulgent. The House of Krug wanted to create a vintage for the last year of the millennium, to capture the unusual and climatically chaotic season. Nicknamed Stormy Indulgence by the House, this vintage brings together the complexity and generosity of a very exciting year. Krug 2000 is one of the most intense, dramatic and romantic Krug Vintages ever created.
The relatively mild winter of 2000 – with alternate dry and rainy periods – was marked by a violent tornado, which struck in on December 26, 1999. A hail-free but rather rainy spring led to later budding than usual, but with sustained growth. Full bloom took place during the first half of June.
On the 2nd of July, a hailstorm of nearly unprecedented violence hit nearly 4,000 hectares, representing 13% of the appellation’s total area. The hailstones, some the size of a pigeon's egg, partially or totally destroyed the Pinot Noir crops north of the Montagne de Reims. A milder summer ensued, but still with some storms, thus leading to the feeling and hope that there would be a good harvest.
The first grapes were cut on 11 September 2000, and the harvest ended on 25 September. Despite the year’s weather setbacks, the terroir displayed the potential for a good harvest, due to the large size of the grapes.
After various tasting sessions, the winemaking team decided on a blend of plots in Trépail and Villers-Marmery (Chardonnay) where the notes of ripe citrus fruits would brace the great white grape varieties from various plots of Avize and Mesnil because they felt these whites needed to be tamed.
The base structure of this blend is close to a great classic for the House of Krug with grapes coming from a number of well-known plots in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Aÿ, the great Pinot Noir from the southern slopes of the Montagne de Reims.
This blend would be unfinished without the presence of Meuniers from Saint Gemme and Villevanard, which always present in Krug Champagnes. The final creation offers a fine balance between the Pinot Noir (42%) and Chardonnay grapes (43%), with 15% of Meunier, providing the final touch.
Tasting note
Beautiful, intense golden colour that begins to reveal the year.
Aromas of caramel, nougat, hazelnut, freshly baked pastries fresh
from the oven.
Flavours of citrus-fruit gratins, lime zest with a very long finish and
persistence.
