To Krug or Not To Krug?

Filippo Nanni

Filippo Nanni

Location
Milano, Italia and London, England
just picking everyone's brain here: is there anything better than Krug MV in its price bracket?

It does not have to be in the Krug Style either or be a Grand Marque. It can be young or old.

I can't think of many examples but maybe I am just having a blonde moment.

Thoughts?
 
P

Paul Day

Location
London
Comtes (2006 is broachable and wonderful now but will keep)
Discounted Charles Heidsieck BdM 1995
Roederer Brut en magnum (given time)

Btw, for me, I think the safe optimum age for GC is around 8 to 15 years of bottle age.
The best bottles I have had have been around 30yo, but there is more variability.
I also note that there is quite a premium for older well stored bottles of GC these days over current release prices, even more in the US than the UK: despite the variability of 30yo bottles, the good ones are vvg, and generally a better bet than many of the Krug vintage wines (e.g., think of 1985, 1989, 1990, even before the general inconsistency of other vintages).
 
Filippo Nanni

Filippo Nanni

Location
Milano, Italia and London, England
I was exacting thinking Comtes but I have little experience with it.

Once you tipped me off to that very discount led BdM parcel is very hard to swallow the current pricing!

Funny enough Roderer en Magnum cold be our lunch tipple. It is going to be the last lunch with some of my best friends.

Finally I am also a subscriber of ageing your GC. I buy some every year at Christmas in Italy and stash it away in my parents wine fridge. Haven't broached any of those yet as I started only 5 years ago.

And btw many thanks for the suggestions. Really much appreciated
 
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Raymond Tilney

Raymond Tilney

Location
Northampton
Think Paul has covered it off very well.
Comtes can sometimes be picked up around £80 all in by the bottle in Waitrose etc.
Piper Heidsieck Rare is at the moment on top form ,a safer bet than joining the BdM 95 digorgement lottery without a lot of knowledge.
Tomorrow I am having an 07 base GC,
A bit earlier than optimum, but should be fine, the 02 base is the best out there at the moment, but very hard to find without paying too much.
 
Po-yu Sung

Po-yu Sung

Location
London
Many found the quality Krug GC depends on which vintage it's 'based'.... we had 2000 based one, not super impressed; 2002 based was very good as Ray said; 2005 based was ready to drink 2 years ago; 2006 based was starting to get ready last month or so, 2007 was not constant among bottles (some good some pretty plain). I am waiting for the 2008 based like everyone else.

For the price, you can pay less to get DP 2004 or 2006. A different style though. You pay even less than that for comtes!
 
D

Dan Baillie

Location
England
Surely, it depends on what style of champagne your looking for? I can't see how Taitty comtes is in any way a substitute for Krug NV other than they're both excellent champagnes. If you want a more oxidised, richer style then surely a bolly would be a better substitute than a Taitty comtes?
 
David Crossley

David Crossley

Location
East Sussex
I kind of agree with Dan if it is a question of style of wine, and as someone who currently doesn't have any KGC in the racks, it is a sorry omission.

But Comtes is wonderful, I have a real taste for it. As Ray says, if you can pick it up on a Waitrose offer you are, as an American lady said to me this week, golden.

I was very lucky to have a 2004 Piper Rare this year. It was stunningly good.

I kind of think with Goisses it is (with age) almost a unique style, no? Some (like me) worship at its feet, others are just "meh!".
 
Steven Pritchard

Steven Pritchard

Location
Herefordshire
Filippo Nanni said:
I was exacting thinking Comtes but I have little experience with it.

Once you tipped me off to that very discount led BdM parcel is very hard to swallow the current pricing!

Funny enough Roderer en Magnum cold be our lunch tipple. It is going to be the last lunch with some of my best friends.

Finally I am also a subscriber of ageing your GC. I buy some every year at Christmas in Italy and stash it away in my parents wine fridge. Haven't broached any of those yet as I started only 5 years ago.

And btw many thanks for the suggestions. Really much appreciated
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Whats an MV? :p

I agree with Dan, like comparing fine chalk and fine cheese (reductive versus oxidative). There aren't many that do the oxidative stye well anymore ("oxidised" would be a better descriptor).

Sure, there's plenty of stuff that is at least as good as Krug GC, but not many oxidative style Champagnes that can challenge Krug on its quality.
 
Steven Pritchard

Steven Pritchard

Location
Herefordshire
Anyways, ignoring the oxidative style and focussing on what GM stuff I buy in quantity (because I'm selfish):

Comtes (you cannot go wrong, super elegant, complex, with laser focus, but cries out for slumber in the cellar, I'd be trying to find 95/96/98's for current drinking).
Roederer vintage magnums are so under the radar (coming in at a little over £100 all in), I'm enjoying 1999 magnums at the moment.
Charles H. Brut Reserve. Seriously good NV, astonishingly cheap given the quality.
DP 2006 is a top release from Moet, tons better than the '05

Growers Champagne? Yes there are plenty (perhaps not constructed for long term ageing mind), but that is probably best left to share with some Chianti.
 
Raymond Tilney

Raymond Tilney

Location
Northampton
Chaps,
Looking at some of the responses I think a re read of the original post is required.

The question is what is up with or better than Krug GC in that price band, and clearly states it does not have to be in the Krug style.

So, Comtes is the obvious go to.

Dan's Bolly thoughts are valid, but I would honestly struggle to recommend one of theirs as they are on my unreliable list at the moment, perhaps 02 RD but isnt it a bit overpriced?

I also reckon 00 Winston is drinking better than 02 at the moment, again a bit more money than KGC.

Vilmart CdC is a good call but 04's are a bit surly at the moment and an 02 may be hard to find.
 
David Crossley

David Crossley

Location
East Sussex
Raymond Tilney said:
Chaps,
Looking at some of the responses I think a re read of the original post is required.

The question is what is up with or better than Krug GC in that price band, and clearly states it does not have to be in the Krug style.

So, Comtes is the obvious go to.

Dan's Bolly thoughts are valid, but I would honestly struggle to recommend one of theirs as they are on my unreliable list at the moment, perhaps 02 RD but isnt it a bit overpriced?

I also reckon 00 Winston is drinking better than 02 at the moment, again a bit more money than KGC.

Vilmart CdC is a good call but 04's are a bit surly at the moment and an 02 may be hard to find.
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Ray, I think a Coeur 02 is coming to Masters. I'm so sorry you won't be, as I will be there.

Can you advise me on when to drink two wines. Vilmart Coeur 2003...I got three on a visit. Also Comtes 05. I only got one bottle but not drunk it yet.
 
Raymond Tilney

Raymond Tilney

Location
Northampton
David Crossley said:
Ray, I think a Coeur 02 is coming to Masters. I'm so sorry you won't be, as I will be there.

Can you advise me on when to drink two wines. Vilmart Coeur 2003...I got three on a visit. Also Comtes 05. I only got one bottle but not drunk it yet.
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David,
I was taking the 04 Coeur to fizz n chips so I was sad that the date didn't get nailed sooner.
Vilmart 03 ready to go 05 Comtes is an odd beast but go for it after the Vilmart and if youcan get a DP 05 as a nenchmark do so
 
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