2013 Krug - Champagne Brut (750ml)

Krug Vintage is made only in years the house's tasting committee decides merit it, following founder Joseph Krug's principle of creating wine "according to the circumstances" of each harvest rather than to a fixed formula. Every release is given its own nickname reflecting what defined that year in the glass, a tradition that sets Krug's vintage wines apart from its better-known non-vintage Grande Cuvée. The house, founded in Reims in 1843, still vinifies each parcel separately in small oak casks before blending, preserving the character of individual sites within the final wine.

The 2013 growing season was cool and rainy, pushing the harvest into late September and giving the resulting wine a bright, citrus-driven character that earned it the nickname Exalted Citrus. The blend leans on Pinot Noir, with substantial Chardonnay and a smaller share of Meunier, and the wine has matured for over a decade in Krug's cellars before release.

Aromas of lemon, bitter orange, and candied citrus lead to notes of toasted almond and honey, while the palate remains precise and chiseled, closing on a long, saline finish. Pair it with a citrus-marinated ceviche or a goat cheese drizzled with honey.