The wait is over, Krug presented its 2008 vintage in Milan as a world preview, the result of what is considered the best vintage of the century (for now) in Champagne. Olivier Krug, sixth generation of the dynasty that founded the Reims maison and a fan of Italy, was visibly happy to be back in person in our country to uncork his bottles, true cult labels for bubble lovers. He talked about the 2021 harvest ("terrible from a climatic point of view") and recalled what was the dream of Joseph Krug, the founding ancestor of the maison in 1843: "My ancestor wanted to create a perfect Champagne every year, which sounded like a great orchestra; but not all vintages are equally generous, just as it is not always possible to have the best musicians available; thus, one harvest after another, he began to create large reserves of wines, destined to help the less fortunate vintages, to give life to a Champagne that was always excellent ". Joseph Krug's dream is symbolized by the Grande Cuvèe, now in its 169th edition. “For us this is the most important Champagne of the maison” continues Olivier Krug. "This edition is based on the 2013 harvest, a fresh vintage, in which the" strong pieces of the orchestra "were not able to show off so much charisma, for this reason the reserve wines of the previous vintages were useful, up to the 2000 ".

Dream 169

There Great Cuvèe 169ème di Krug is made up of 146 wines from 11 different vintages and has rested in the cellar for about seven years. The composition sees 43% of pinot noir, 35% of chardonnay and 22% of pinot meunier; reserve wines are 40% of the assembly. The scents, the unmistakable ones of the best Champagnes, now still young (you can recognize the flowers of the spring meadows, citrus fruits and yellow fruit), are destined to evolve towards the voluptuous aromas of marzipan and cream pastries, nougat, tart of jam and honey brioche. The tasting was made even more intriguing by the small plates arriving from the kitchen, created, like the rest of the lunch courses, by one of our most famous chefs, as well as Krug's brand ambassador, a Antonino Cannavaciuolo in splendid shape, able to bewitch everyone with a cube of aubergine parmigiana which was an explosion of southern and summer flavors.

Champagne in music

Music for Krug is of utmost importance, not only in the orchestra metaphor for the Grande Cuvée. Every time a new Champagne comes out, there is also its soundtrack, which represents its essence through sound. This year the task of "singing" the new Champagnes has been entrusted to Vhelade, young, beautiful and good Afro-Sardinian interpreter, who with her elegance and her warm and powerful voice bewitched all the diners (you can find her in a more pop and carefree version in this summer's hit, Uh la la, together with Mydrama) .

Classic beauty

“Every thousandth of Krug has a nickname” continues Olivier. "And if the 2006 vintage was a capricious delicacy for us, the 2008 was named Classical Beauty by the maison's tasting committee". The climatic trend was characterized by beautiful warm days with cold nights, which gave a great grape, and therefore a wine with an indisputable personality: after an aging of 11 years in the cellar, the cuvée (53% pinot noir, 22% chardonnay , 25% pinot meunier) is fresh, harmonious, long and persistent and best represents the essence and elegance of the Champagne terroir.

Among the many qualities of Krug there is also that of loving the table and could not fail to test the combinations with Cannavaciuolo dishes. At the table, together with Krug 2008, the Grande Cuvée 164ème was revived, based on the wine of the 2008 harvest. In combination, Sicilian scampi with pizzaiola with octopus water mayonnaise and a very tasty Carnaroli rice with bottarga and marrow; in closing, for dessert, raspberry and horseradish, babà and lobster tail, a small and very crunchy variant of the Neapolitan sfogliatella, to applause.

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