Wine Advisor
Krug, Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut 1995
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
We then made the jump so a set of younger wines that had been opened in advance. The 1995 Clos du Mesnil shows pretty notes of autumn leaves, truffles and citrus. It is a rather fat, texturally rich vintage that probably won't age forever, but rather a wine that offers rewarding drinking at a relatively young stage by Clos du Mesnil standards.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
I am much less enthralled with the 1995 Brut Bland de Blancs Clos du Mesnil, which comes across as excessively heavy and ponderous, with little of the delineation and nuance of the 1996. The aromas and flavors are surprisingly advanced for a wine of this age, and notes of roasted nuts and caramel suggest this won't be an especially long-lived Clos du Mesnil. On the positive side, the mousse is exceptionally elegant. Still, I am not sure that this alone is enough at this level.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 1995 Clos du Mesnil was simply awesome. A sweet, layered bouquet melded into a core of pure fruit that was a beauty to behold. A powerful Clos de Mesnil, the 1995 came across as a superb white Burgundy with bubbles. This bottle in particular was one of the finest – perhaps the finest – I have ever tasted.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Light gold, with a slow mousse. Complex aromas of buttered nuts, brioche, honey, yellow peach and apricot seem evolved and open-knit. But this is surprisingly brisk on the palate, showing edgier, more citrus-driven pink grapefruit and lime flavors. The bitter citrus zest flavors are powerful and almost painfully concentrated. Displays the combination of richness and tart tones that is typical of this vintage. Clos du Mesnil has always been Krug's single-vintage statement, but one has to wonder what could have been had Krug blended some '96 or another lively vintage's juice into this.
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.
