Krug Grande Cuvee 171eme Edition Champagne

Since their inception in 1843, Krug Grande Cuvée has been their signature wine, and the most important wine they produce each year. Crafting Grande Cuvée only once a year, Krug now distinguish each release numerically, and provide great insight into the detailed composition via their Krug iD site. While these Edition wines are non-vintage, Krug prefers to call them multi-vintage given they use a large proportion of reserve wines in the blend, normally over 120 base wines spanning 10+ vintages. The 171eme Edition is a staggering blend of 131 wines from 12 vintages back to 2000, with the base wine hailing from the excellent 2015 vintage. The varietal mix of the base wine is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier, and comprises 58% of the blend, while 42% of reserve wines are used from 11 older vintages stretching back to 2000.

Other Reviews....
Non vintage? Technically so, but in fact there is a new edition every year, this the 171st, based on 131 wines from 12 vintages dating back to 2000. It is composed of 45/37/18% pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. Krug’s power is an iron fist in a velvet glove, and it’s my favourite champagne.
99 points
James Halliday's Top 100 Wines 2023

The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition, (2015 base vintage) is bright and focused in the glass, showing notable tension and tons of class. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint and white pepper all lend remarkable brightness to a Grande Cuvée that is built more on linear cut rather than volume. Krug is always among the first houses to pick. The 171 clearly shows that style. The blend is 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier, vintages 2015 through 2000. Disgorged: Winter 2021-2022. Krug ID: 122003
95 Points
Antonio Galloni's Vinous

The tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme brulee. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavorful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end. Drink or hold.
99 Points
JamesSuckling.com

The NV Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition is a delightful blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier and boasts an attractive and captivating aroma of dried fruits, pastry, lemon oil, marzipan, spring flowers and ginger, with hints of almond and vanilla notes that become more pronounced over time. This medium to full-bodied wine is precise and well-structured, with a fleshy core of fruit and a sapid, incisive finish. Crafted around the 2015 vintage, the blend comprises 131 reserve wines from as far back as 2000 (42% of the total blend) and is expected to age beautifully over the next decade. Drink 2023 - 2040.
94 Points
Yohan Castaing - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

A vivid Champagne, with chiseled acidity and a fine, vivacious mousse creating a buoyant frame for layered flavors of crushed black raspberry, grilled nuts, pink grapefruit sorbet and coffee liqueur, plus fragrant accents of ground ginger and anise, graphite and lime blossoms. Long and expressive on the finish, crackling with a lingering fleur de sel note. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. Disgorged winter 2022 to 2021. Drink now through 2033.
96 Points
Alison Napjus - Wine Spectator

Such a complete wine. It pushes flavour to the corners of the mouth. Complex and detailed. It’s a wholesome experience. Fine gentle mousse but firm enough to keep your palate energised. It smells of salted shortbread, quince and croissant with almond cream. Then nougat and razor-sharp acidity. Crème brûlée and salt flakes. Crunchy almonds and limey acidity. Oyster shell with lemon, the mineral note. Complete balance. And it’s long and delightful. I forgot about sparkling Shiraz for a moment. On that balmy winter day in Sydney. Drink 2023 - 2033+
96 Points
Kasia Sobiesiak - The Wine Front

Deliciously balanced, this Champagne is impressive. The iconic wine is in its 171st blend, meaning it combines vintages for the best result for each bottling, not a specific vintage. The 171st essence is dry, while also having fine textured fruit. This is a magnificent wine and worth aging for another year.
97 Points
Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Spanning from 1998 through the 2015 vintage, the NV Champagne Grande Cuvée 171 is lush with a kaleidoscope of aromas including orange marmalade, toasted brioche, almond, and ripe peaches. Full-bodied and rounded, it has a hint of warmth on the finish, but it’s highly attractive, balanced, and long, with outstanding depth and richness. This fantastic expression of the Grand Cuvée is gorgeous right out of the gate and will be a great addition for collectors to enjoy over the coming two decades. Drink 2023-2043.
94 Points
Audrey Frick - Jeb Dunnuck