1992 Krug "Clos du Mesnil" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne

95(+?) points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Subdued, extremely pure, soil-inflected nose hints at lemon, ginger, smoke, minerals, iodine, nutmeg and hazelnut. From a sniff, I would have been as likely to say Le Montrachet or Corton-Charlemagne as Mesnil, but I would certainly have named one of the planet's elite sites for chardonnay. Very laid-back and dry, even austere today, with an extremely fine-grained texture and penetrating flavors of minerals, citrus skin, flowers and hazelnut. A thoroughly unevolved wine of great intensity and subtlety. Seems to grow even denser toward the back, but the bracing finish suggests that this great Champagne should really be forgotten for another four or five years." (Nov/Dev 04) 94 points Spectator: "Showing some maturity, with truffle, coffee and roasted almond aromas and flavors, this is dense and satisfying..." (12/05) K&L's notes - This walled vineyard is located in the southernmost grand cru in Champagne, the famous village of Mesnil. The vineyard used to be called the Clos Tarin and the grapes used to be bought by Salon until the Tarin family sold it in the 1970s. From it comes Krug's and (by natural extension) Champagne's most expensive wine. Many balk at the price of this wine, but it holds it place next to the first growths of Bordeaux and the great domains of Burgundy with a blend of power, subtlety and most importantly inimitability. One of the icons of the world of wine. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne buyer)