Krug 2008

Yes that’s what I thought for some time, partly guided by the above posters of course :)
it was also one of the reasons a grabbed a case of 164 knowing there was no 2008.
Steven I imagine you will be correct with such a late release.

So what’s it like and when is it out ?
 
What an odd lie for Krug to tell everyone - let's call it what it is. They must have gone to quite some length internally to keep that under wraps for so long, which makes it that much more strange.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during the conversation that this was agreed upon...

"Tell you what. I have a brilliant idea on how to market this vintage."

"What's that then?"

"Let's not tell anyone about it."

"Excusez moi?! Mais pourquoi?!" [the shock makes Krug's CEO temporarily forget English]

"Let's lie. Pretend we're not making it. Then when we reveal that we have, everyone will go crazy for it."

"Makes sense to me."

The sad thing is it's probably true. I can already see the instagram posts fawning all over it with 500 word tasting notes that make absolutely no sense followed by a picture of the bill with a winky face emoji.
 
I'm lucky enough to have been to Krug a few times and tasted many vintages of the wines, but on my 2011 visit in the line-up of vintage from 2000 back to 1976 that they poured, there was one which we were sworn to secrecy about and not allowed to report on, because they could not decide whether to release it or not. Damnably I cannot find my original notes and cannot remember what the year was, but basically Eric Lebel said they could not decide if it was too atypical to be released, or too interesting not to released. I am sure it was a 90s vintage.

Giving them benefit of the doubt, could that have been the case with the 2008?
 
Steven Pritchard said:
Yes, that has been the official line since day dot, expect stratospheric hype pricing.

Apart from making us Champagne “experts” bods look unbelievably stupid, it does feel just a tiny bit egotistical and arrogant.
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Olivier Krug has always been arrogant. I well remember him getting hot under the collar and very dismissive with me for having the temerity to suggest, at a small J & B lunch, that Krug MV have the disgorgement date printed on the back label.
 
If Krug said outright that there was to be no 2008 vintage, knowing that punters would be induced by that to go deep for release 164 because of the impression that it would contain what would in another year go into the vintage wine, then that is very low.

I've no dog in this fight as I never buy either, but I suspect it does mean that that is never going to change.
 
Tom Cannavan said:
Giving them benefit of the doubt, could that have been the case with the 2008?
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And yet they release a wine from 1990 and 1996? Don't buy it...

Far better to have said that it has been bottled but they weren't sure. And this IS 2008, did the wine magically increase in quality in 2019? The quality would've been apparent earlier in the decade. Feels just like when Prince changed his name to symbol.
 
Tom Cannavan said:
I'm lucky enough to have been to Krug a few times and tasted many vintages of the wines, but on my 2011 visit in the line-up of vintage from 2000 back to 1976 that they poured, there was one which we were sworn to secrecy about and not allowed to report on, because they could not decide whether to release it or not. Damnably I cannot find my original notes and cannot remember what the year was, but basically Eric Lebel said they could not decide if it was too atypical to be released, or too interesting not to released. I am sure it was a 90s vintage.

Giving them benefit of the doubt, could that have been the case with the 2008?
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CdM 1999 they made, bottled, but didn't release, could be that? They said that they blended it back into other wines, I don't know how that works on a technical level
 
Tom Worthing said:
They've also said there will be no 2012, the vintage wasn't large enough and they put it all into MV because that's the most important thing at the house.

So 2012 coming out next then yeah?
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I am just about to post, at 2019 Krug tasting (where Collection 1988 was nearly oxidised) the guy was bragging about how 2012 was not interesting enough and they decided not to go for vintage (see, it's a different reason they gave)....
He didn't say much about 2008 though! I think I asked him something about 2008 but he kind of avoided to answer.
 
Tom Mann said:
They did produce a 1999 Clos du Mesnil but decided not to release it as it wasn't up to par. Having tasted it at Krug, I agree! One of those tastings where everyone looks at their feet....
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I should have searched my notes more carefully, as my note on the mystery wine is there and it was indeed the 99 CdM:

Krug, Clos du Mesnil 1999
Quite subtle, earthy, a touch of mushroom and damp forest floor, with subtle fruity notes. There’s a smokiness and flintiness, and on the palate quite full and quite rich, with hints of tropical, ripe fruit and then searing lemony acidity. A little short perhaps. 91/100.
 
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