NV  

"When Cyril Brun was briefed to recreate this iconic cuvée, he struggled to achieve the plenitude and drama he was looking for. Then, he dug in the Heidsieck archives and discovered, as he tells it, that the famous vintages of Charlie, while vintaged on paper, actually contained reserve wines. Brun therefore gave himself carte blanche to draw on the house's best lots to put together the inaugural NV Champagne Charlie, based on the 2016 vintage but incorporating fully 78% reserve wines dating back two decades. Bursting with aromas of golden orchard fruit, brioche, honeycomb, peaches, spices and buttery pastry, it's full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a layered core of fruit, racy acids and a beautifully refined pinpoint mousse. Some 52% of the blend is Chardonnay, with Brun looking for ripe, exotic Chardonnay to complement more tensile lots of Pinot Noir. It's a compelling, flamboyant wine—the only thing that may make consumers smart is the price." - 96pts WA

2002  

The 2002 Cristal is now entering its first plateau of maturity, which makes it a terrific Champagne for drinking now. Hints of apricot, brioche, lemon confit, honey, hazelnut, baked apple tart and spice give the 2002 striking layers of nuance. Rich and generous, the 2002 show plenty of the natural opulence of the year and yet retains terrific freshness as well. As always, Cristal is a blend of Pinot from Ay, Verzenay, Verzy and Beaumont sur Vesle, and Chardonnay from Mesnil, Cramant and Oger. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. - 97pts Vinous

1990  

2005  Gonet-Médeville Extra Brut

Moderately golden. A ripe, mature and penetrating nose of citrus, floral notes and white peach introduces rather rich, round and voluminous flavors that possess a moderate effervescence along with excellent complexity while terminating in a mouth coating finish. Monumental and vigorous, mouth-filling and near-perfect - its seamless, lingering finish makes this great Grand Cru a show-stopper. 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir fermented in used barrels. Monumental and vigorous, mouth-filling and near-perfect.

2009  Avize Grand Cru

"The 2009 Extra-Brut Avize Champ Gain captures an intriguing combination of the richness of the year and the clean, mineral inflections that are such signatures of Avize. All the elements are turned up a few notches. Petrol, apricot, dried flowers, orchard fruit, orange confit, honey and marzipan all develop in the glass. Even with all of its intensity, the 2009 retains striking translucence. It's a big wine, but there is plenty of complexity too. Disgorged May 2019. Dosage is 1.5 grams per liter." - 94pts Vinous

2019  Coteaux Champenois Rouge

(CRU: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, LIEU-DIT: Charmont) - Pinot noir bouquet, red fruit (wild strawberries, redcurrants) combined with floral, spicy notes, liquorice and fresh pepper created by the whole stalks. The nose is complex and deeply perfumed. Velvety-soft, delicate and delectable on entry to the palate. Intricate and sweet tannins. The ageing in oak is seamless and perfectly incorporated into a soft, delicate sweetness. The Champagne region's cool climate is apparent mid-palate, adding lightness and scented fragrances. This reinforces the impression of delicacy and freshness without diminishing the concentration and the silky tannic structure that lengthens the finish.

2009  Gonet-Médeville

This rare gem comes from two of Champagne’s greatest Grand Cru vineyards: 60% Champ d’Alouette in Le Mesnil and 40% La Grande Ruelle in Ambonnay ---- "Aromatic tea rose and spice notes accent the pure fruit flavors of white cherry and apricot in this elegant rosé Champagne, which is lightly mouthwatering and balanced, with hints of smoke, mineral, saffron and orange zest on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2029. 100 cases made, 34 cases imported." - 93pts WS

2012  

"What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and autolytic notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice, and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant, and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 incarnates the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing, that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition." - 98pts Decanter

2019  Coteaux Champenois Blanc Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

(CRU: Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, LIEU-DIT: Volibarts) - Very fresh, precise and pure bouquet, with warm toasted notes of hay, wheat and dried nuts, concentrated juicy ripe fruit (melon, pear) and lightly honeyed floral notes. After aeration, we have a lovely bouquet of reductive aromas with spicy nuances. Intense, concentrated and fresh on the palate with candied citrus fruit and a juicy, almost oily texture. Chalky and saline notes then follow and are underpinned by a lovely tannic structure. The finish has a mouth-watering texture with toasted notes that provide great aromatic length. The whole is vibrant, perfectly integrated, precise, powerful and fresh. ---- "The 2019 Hommage a Camille (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) is even better than the Pinot. It tastes just like vin clairs here, but with the breadth and richness of a finished wine. Lemon confit, slate, mint, white flowers and tangerine open first, gently framed by a discreet touch of oak. To be honest, I am not a huge fan of Coteaux Champenois. This might be the single greatest example I have ever tasted. What a knockout." - 95pts Vinous

2002  Chardonnay

This series is intended to express the work of a man on his soil. The role of the winemaker is limited and every effort is made to respect and preserve the integrity of the level of expression of the vintage. Vinification in small oak barrels, no malolactic fermentation, no cold stabilisation, no filtration but a lot of passion.

2007  Gonet-Médeville Grand Cru Extra Brut

100% organically farmed Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Champs d'Alouettes. It is usually blended for Cuvée Théophile and is vinified separately only in the best vintages. Xavier and Krug are the only two houses to own vineyards in this site. Vinified in neutral barrels for six months prior to bottling. No chaptalization, malolactic fermentation or fining. Aged on the lees for 9 years before release. Dosage 2.5 g/L.

2007  Gonet-Médeville Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut

Gonet-Médeville Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut ---- "A firm, focused Champagne, with floral, chalk and spice notes that are fragrant on the nose and accent the palate's baked pineapple and plum fruit, slivered almond, mandarin orange peel and sea salt flavors as they ride the fine mousse. Mouthwatering and minerally on the well-cut finish." - 93pts, Wine Spectator ---- La Grande Ruelle overlooks Krug’s Clos d’Ambonnay vineyard and is named for the path that runs up the slope between the two sites.