Krug : Clos d'Ambonnay 2002

Beautifully fragrant, with toast, ground coffee and saffron notes on the nose accenting the palate's concentrated range of baked black cherry, quince paste, lime blossom and crushed hazelnut flavors. Vivid, sculpted acidity and depth of flavor lend tension and muscle to this powerful Champagne, while the finely detailed mousse and seamless integration provide an overall sense of finesse and harmony. Disgorged autumn 2015. Drink now through 2032. 435 cases made.

ID 415067. Bottled when Clos d’Ambonnay was still an unreleased experiment. The first vintage, 1995, was released in 2007. Half of the 0.34-ha (0.84-acre) plot, hardly enough to fill a full press, has been replanted ‘the Krug way’. Quite a bit of age, though more on the side of big and bold than subtle nuance. Firm finish. Very long indeed. (JR)

After the 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2000 vintages, the 2002 Blanc de Noirs Brut Clos d’Ambonnay is the fifth edition of this splendid but rare and expensive Pinot Noir. Sourced in a tiny, walled 0.68-hectare (1.7-acre) plot on a deep stratum of chalk, the 2002 offers a deep, ripe and highly elegant nose with very fine cherry and red fruit aromas in the beautifully vinous Krug style. On the palate, the 2002 is terribly fresh and finessed, highly aromatic and very mineral, with great structure and a very, very long and tensioned finish. This is a taut and expressive yet highly finessed Clos d'Ambonnay that is shining brighter and becoming more and more complex the more time it has to breathe. Breathtaking maturity, creaminess and a brioche-flavored taste of dried and candied fruit characterizes this mouthfillingly round and intense Clos d’Ambonnay whose vinous charm and depth is teasingly attractive. Tasted in Reims, April 2018.