Tasting Notes
Vinous 92+
I must admit, Krug’s 2000 Clos d’Ambonnay remains a mystery. The first bottle I tasted, in March, at Krug, was utterly spectacular. Rich, creamy and ample on the palate, the 2000 was captivating from start to finish. Two thousand is the first vintage made entirely by current Chef de Caves Eric Lebel. My impression at the time was that Lebel had given his Ambonnay softer, gentler contours than the 1995, 1996 and 1998, all which were much more austere when first released. But then I tasted the 2000 several times in the US, where it has so far been less impressive. I am hoping issues with shipping for a handful of samples will turn out to be the root cause, and that the ‘real’ Ambonnay will be closer to what I tasted at Krug in March. If that turns out to be the case the 2000 will be due for a major upgrade.
Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030
JancisRobinson.com 19
ID 413063. Bottle number 1008 disgorged in 2013. When this was made, it was still an experiment. The 1995 was the first vintage but it had still not been released. This 2000 was released in early 2015. Deep gold. Very deep-flavoured – chestnuts? – on the nose. Extremely persistent. Massive dimension; the bubbles almost seemed to struggle to escape. Still remarkably fresh with masses of aromatic development. Big, bold and bright.
Anticipated maturity: 2015-2024