KRUG Brut Vintage 2011 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Krug Brut Vintage 2011 is a richly layered, precise Champagne marrying opulent orchard fruit with toasty complexity from extended lees ageing. Deep straw with pale gold highlights and fine persistent bead, it shows pear, baked apple and dried apricot, then toasted brioche, almond and marzipan with honeyed quince, spice and a wet stone mineral seam. Medium plus with a broad silky mid palate, citrus pith and vivid acidity balance creamy pastry and subtle roast coffee and dark chocolate notes. Fine saline minerality carries a long resonant finish of bitter orange zest and nutty echoes. Approachable yet long lived. Drink 2026 to 2045. Critics: James Suckling 98 "Energetic and nervy"; Wine Advocate 95 "Structured and elegant"; Decanter 94 "Generous and deep".

ABOUT THIS WINE
Krug Brut Vintage 2011 is a richly layered and precise expression of the house style, marrying generous fruit ripeness with the oxidative complexity and toasty depth that prolonged élevage brings. The colour is deep straw with pale gold highlights and a persistent, fine mousse. The nose opens with ripe pear, baked apple and dried apricot, then broadens to reveal warm pastry, toasted almond and marzipan; with aeration aromatic threads of honeyed quince, spiced ginger and a faint saffron like savoury note appear, underpinned by a clear wet stone mineral streak.

On the palate the wine is medium plus in weight with a broad, silky mid palate and superb tension from bright, integrated acidity. Primary orchard fruit sits against a citrus pith seam that keeps the profile fresh, while extended lees ageing contributes creamy brioche, toasted hazelnut and a subtle nougat nuance. Mid palate complexity reveals a delicate roast coffee and dark chocolate undertone that adds depth without masking the fruit, and a fine saline minerality gives drive to the long, resonant finish which closes on bitter orange zest and a lingering nutty echo.

The 2011 vintage required attentive work in the cellar to harmonise ripeness with freshness; Krug’s meticulous blending and extended maturation have turned that challenge into a strength, yielding a vintage of both immediacy and long term potential. This bottling is approachable now with careful decanting to broaden the aromatics, yet will continue to develop further tertiary complexity over the next two decades.

Drink 2026 to 2045, peaking 2028 to 2038. Serve well chilled with lobster, seared scallops, caviar, smoked salmon blinis, or rich poultry dishes such as roast pigeon with foie gras; it also partners beautifully with creamy cheeses and subtly spiced dishes where the wine’s texture and brioche notes can harmonise with savoury richness.

JAMES SUCKLING 98 points
It shows reserved character but with a lot of energy and tension. Concentrated citrus fruit, candied lemons and mandarin peel with hints of savory herbs and spices. Notes of brioche and caraway seeds. Full-bodied, complex and nervy on the palate. It has fine, silky bubbles yet it’s structured and firm with a lot of power. It builds up on the finish with freshness and vibrancy. Drink or hold.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 95 points
Drink Date: 2024 - 2044
The 2011 Krug is a singular, distinctive vintage at this address. Revealing aromas of lemon, confit citrus, dried herbs, hazelnuts, pear and ripe orchard fruits mingled with spices, it's medium to full-bodied, round and dense, with a phenolic, singular entry and a structured, almost tannic but elegant mid-palate framed by a fleshy core of fruit. It has a pinpoint mousse and a long, mineral and saline finish enhanced by a lot of chalky dry extracts. Compared to previous vintages, which were tauter and more incisive, this rendition is more austere, aging gracefully into a Champagne of understated elegance and revealed austerity. 46% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, and 17% Pinot Meunier.

DECANTER 94 points
Tasted by: Natalie Earl (at Champagne, France, 24 Apr 2024) Part of A peek inside Krug's sleek and sophisticated new winery
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2035
A floral expression, bright and fairly dainty. It's taut and youthful, with a rounded and lightly chewy texture, finishing lean but still succulent and hyper fresh. A changeable vintage which saw the vines flower three weeks earlier than usual, with cool and wet weather thereafter, followed by intense heat then heavy rainfal

VINOUS 93 points
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2036
Antonio Galloni, March 2024
The 2011 Vintage is a very pretty wine in this highly challenging vintage. Apricot, mint, dried herbs and a kiss of French oak open nicely in the glass. There is some of the savory character of 2011, but it is nicely woven into the wine’s fabric. To be sure, the 2011 is a slender vintage at Krug. That is especially evident in the wine's light-ish mid-palate and overall feel, yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. I expect the 2011 to be a relatively early maturing Vintage and would not push my luck on aging.

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ABOUT KRUG
Krug is a prestige Champagne house revered for its obsessive pursuit of richness, detail and individuality within the Champagne tradition. Founded in 1843 by Joseph Krug, the house established a philosophy that elevates blending to an art form, aiming to produce a consistent expression of generosity and complexity that transcends vintage variation. Krug Grande Cuvée remains the emblematic wine, a multi vintage assemblage of many parcels and vintages created to deliver layered depth and persistent aromatic development.

The house is owned by LVMH, which has supported long term investment in cellars, vineyard relations and technical resources while allowing Krug to retain its distinct identity and artisanal approach. Vine supply is drawn from a wide range of well tended plots across Champagne, with particular attention paid to low yields, selective picking and careful grape handling to preserve primary ripeness and acidity. Fruit is vinified in small parcels to retain individuality and to allow precise later assemblage.

Winemaking is centred on the role of the house cellarmaster and the in house team who manage parcel by parcel vinification, slow temperature controlled fermentations and a restrained use of oak where called for. Extended ageing on lees and lengthy bottle maturation after tirage are key to Krug style, contributing to the wines textural richness, autolytic complexity and fine persistent mousse. Blending trials are exhaustive and deeply empirical, guided by tasting memory and an encyclopaedic knowledge of past vintages and plots.

Stylistically Krug wines are often described as opulent, savoury and sculpted, showing baked fruit, toasted brioche, hazelnut, spice and saline mineral notes alongside a bright underlying acidity. The house produces a measured range including multi vintage Grande Cuvée, vintage Champagnes, single vineyard cuvees and rare library releases, all designed for long term development. Through rigorous attention to parcel identity, cellar craft and ageing Krug continues to stand as a benchmark for thoughtful, age worthy Champagne.