Wine Advisor
Krug, Clos d'Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs Brut 1996
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 1996 Clos d’Ambonnay is very similar to the Clos du Mesnil in this vintage. It has the same piercing purity and minerality with the heft of the Pinot still to fully emerge. Hints of menthol, spices and berries wrap around the eternal finish. Clos d’Ambonnay, from a single, walled-in parcel in the village of Ambonnay, is in many ways the red equivalent of Clos du Mesnil.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Medium straw in colour, the nose is profoundly scented of apple tart, lightly toasted hazelnuts, orange blossom, brioche, and granola with subtle nuances of crushed stones, musk and honeycomb. The palate is incredibly concentrated, crisp and taut with great richness matched by very fine bubbles and a very long, steely finish. There’s definitely a lot more to come from this wine but it’s looking very fine now.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Somewhat surprisingly, Krug presents the much-anticipated 1996 Blanc de Noirs Clos d’Ambonnay as the first wine in our tasting. This incredibly refined Champagne opens with a superb, well-delineated bouquet and an impeccable, almost imperceptible mousse. At first very refined, the wine tightens up in the glass considerably as the acidity comes to life on the palate. The purest essence of crushed rocks and minerals define the finish. Today the 1996 Clos d’Ambonnay comes across as incredibly young and searing, in fact at this stage, it reminds me most of the vins claires I tasted at the estate last year! The wine will require considerable patience, but given its lack of track record, it seems reasonable to wonder whether the wine will ever be truly as expressive as the 1995, or the other wines in Krug’s 1996 lineup. No disgorgement date provided. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026. My tasting this year with Olivier Krug was fascinating as I had the rare opportunity to taste all of the house’s 1996’s side by side, a comparison that yielded very interesting results. Importer: Moet Hennessy USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 251-8200
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The estate’s 1996 Clos d’Ambonnay, has finally begun to emerge from the bracing acidity and powerful wall of structure that obscured the fruit when the wine was first released. The 1996 Ambonnay will ultimately develop into a broad-shouldered, expansive wine fully in the Krug house style, although it will require patience. It is strikingly pure in every way.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Krug’s 1996 Clos d’Ambonnay comes across as quite nuanced and understated, with precise, crystalline fruit and tons of detail.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
This flight of 1996s provided plenty of context. The 1996 Clos d'Ambonnay is very similar to the Clos du Mesnil in this vintage. It has the same piercing purity and minerality with the heft of the Pinot still to fully emerge. Hints of menthol, spices and berries wrap around the eternal finish. Clos d'Ambonnay, from a single, walled-in parcel in the village of Ambonnay, is in many ways the red equivalent of Clos du Mesnil.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The estate's 1996 Clos d'Ambonnay, has finally begun to emerge from the bracing acidity and powerful wall of structure that obscured the fruit when the wine was first released. The 1996 Ambonnay will ultimately develop into a broad-shouldered, expansive wine fully in the Krug house style, although it will require patience. It is strikingly pure in every way.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The three 1996 Blanc de Noirs – Krug’s Clos d’Ambonnay, Bollinger’s Vielles Vignes Françaises and Billecart-Salmon’s Le Clos Saint-Hilaire were all extraordinary. Needless to say, it was an incredible privilege to taste the wines side by side. In particular, the Clos d’Ambonnay seems to be headed for the stratosphere, although it is a very unusual Blanc de Noirs in that it actually tastes like what Clos du Mesnil would taste like if it were made from red grapes, which is to say the style is decidedly focused and mineral-driven.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Somewhat surprisingly, Krug presents the much-anticipated 1996 Blanc de Noirs Clos d'Ambonnay as the first wine in our tasting. This incredibly refined Champagne opens with a superb, well-delineated bouquet and an impeccable, almost imperceptible mousse. At first very refined, the wine tightens up in the glass considerably as the acidity comes to life on the palate. The purest essence of crushed rocks and minerals define the finish. Today the 1996 Clos d'Ambonnay comes across as incredibly young and searing, in fact at this stage, it reminds me most of the vins claires I tasted at the estate last year! The wine will require considerable patience, but given its lack of track record, it seems reasonable to wonder whether the wine will ever be truly as expressive as the 1995, or the other wines in Krug's 1996 lineup.
About the Producer
The House was established in Reims in 1843, by Joseph Krug, a visionary non-conformist with an uncompromising philosophy. Having understood that the true essence of Champagne is pleasure itself, his dream was to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, every single year, regardless of annual variations in climate. Paying close attention to the vineyard’s character, respecting the individuality of each plot and its wine, as well as building an extensive library of reserve wines from many different years allowed Joseph Krug to fulfil his dream. With a very original approach to Champagne making, he decided to go beyond the notion of vintage to create the most generous expression of Champagne, every year. Thus, he founded a House in which all Champagnes are of the same level of distinction. Six generations of the Krug family have perpetuated this dream, enriching the founder’s vision and savoir faire.
