Grande Cuvee 168eme Edition
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Aged Parmesan cheese, roasted turbot with white butter sauce, or wild mushroom risotto.
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted around the historic 2012 harvest, the Krug Grande Cuvée 168ème Édition represents the ultimate expression of Joseph Krug's founding philosophy: to create the richest, most generous Champagne every single year, independent of vintage variations. This edition is an extraordinary mosaic of 198 individual wines selected from 11 different vintages, with the oldest dating back to 1996 and the youngest from 2012. The final blend comprises 52% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, and 13% Meunier, meticulously assembled to achieve unparalleled harmony. True to Krug's uncompromising heritage, all base wines were fermented in seasoned small oak casks, imparting a subtle micro-oxygenation and structural depth. Having rested in the cool chalk cellars of Reims for over seven years, this Champagne reveals a golden hue, fine, persistent bubbles, and a complex bouquet of blooming flowers, dried citrus, gingerbread, and toasted hazelnuts, underpinned by a vibrant, mineral-driven tension.
🍾 About the Producer
Maison Krug was established in Reims in 1843 by visionary merchant Joseph Krug, who sought to craft the most generous expression of Champagne annually, regardless of climatic variations. Situated in the heart of Champagne, the maison draws fruit from premier and grand cru parcels spanning the limestone-rich terroirs of the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne, supplemented by historic walled monopoles like Clos du Mesnil and Clos d'Ambonnay. Viticulture is conducted under rigorous sustainable standards, eschewing herbicides and synthetic insecticides while adhering to Viticulture Durable en Champagne (VDC) frameworks. Krug's foundational cellar philosophy centers on plot-by-plot vinification, fermenting base wines primarily in aged 205-liter oak barrels. Under Chef de Cave Julie Cavil, hundreds of distinct still wines and an extensive library of reserve vintages are systematically evaluated. The house's signature benchmark, Krug Grande Cuvée—each release cataloged by its specific Édition—stands alongside Krug Rosé, Krug Vintage, and single-vineyard masterpieces as archetypes of profound vinous depth, racy minerality, and monumental longevity.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier