Krug Vintage is a statement – Krug's definitive, one-off interpretation of the character of an outstanding year. The blend contains wines exclusively from that year.

Characterized by the warm glow of yellow gold and the fragrant aroma of flowers in bloom, Krug 1998 is an enchanting champagne of astonishing purity and precision. From its creamy, caressing texture, through its full, finely balanced flavors, to its extraordinarily long finish, it is a study in harmony, delicate, refined, and captivating. Think notes of red berries, stewed fruit, brioche, almond, gingerbread, and citrus.

• Grande Cuvee (search item no. 6630)

Krug's founder, Johann-Joseph Krug, was a maverick who turned his back on a comfortable position in an established champagne house to strike out on his own. He had not only the vision, but also the talent, to achieve his ambition of creating a champagne with a taste quite unlike any other.

Subsequent generations of the Krug family not merely honored his achievement, but amplified it, bringing genuine pride and passion to their craft. From meticulous grape selection, through the birth of the wine in small oak casks, to the intricate process of "assemblage", followed by long years of aging in the cellars, Krug champagne is the culmination of painstaking care and unrivalled craftsmanship.

• Flanerie Grande Cuvee in Leather Purse (search item no. 121425)
• 1989 Vintage Brut with Collection Giftbox (search item no. 120161)
• 2000 Vintage Brut (search item no. 115506)

Krug's founder, Johann-Joseph Krug, was a maverick who turned his back on a comfortable position in an established champagne house to strike out on his own. He had not only the vision, but also the talent, to achieve his ambition of creating a champagne with a taste quite unlike any other.

Subsequent generations of the Krug family not merely honored his achievement, but amplified it, bringing genuine pride and passion to their craft. From meticulous grape selection, through the birth of the wine in small oak casks, to the intricate process of "assemblage", followed by long years of aging in the cellars, Krug champagne is the culmination of painstaking care and unrivalled craftsmanship.

La Grande Dame 1998 has a pale gold color with jade glints. The wine is crystal clear, with unbelievably fine bubbles.

On the first nose, typical Chardonnay characteristics come to the fore, with the arrival of floral and mineral aromas (acacia, ferns, chalk). By agitating the wine, scents of candied fruit (citrus fruits, apricots, quince) and sweet almond emerge, to reappear later in the mouth. After rotating the wine for a few minutes more, rare notes such as peaty malt, tobacco and delicate herbs, are gradually unveiled.

This aromatic, impressively complex bouquet is confirmed in the mouth. On the palate, the wine is clear-cut and pure, perfectly balanced with a delightful silky smoothness. La Grande Dame 1998, with its lace-like construction, has a long, lively, and structured finish.

This wine has unbelievable aging potential. The 1998 vintage of La Grande Dame, the quintessence of the Veuve Clicquot style, reaches a peak of refinement, without losing its legendary strength produced by a blend including nearly two-thirds of Pinot Noir.

• Brut Yellow Label (search item no. 528)
• Brut Yellow Label (375ML half-bottle) (search item no. 15512)
• Demi-Sec (search item no. 706)
• Demi-Sec & 19-pc Godiva Chocolates Birthday Gift Set (search item no. 99025)
• Demi-Sec & 19-pc Godiva Chocolates Gift Set (search item no. 90621)
• Demi-Sec & 19-pc Godiva Chocolates Spring Gift Set (search item no. 107916)
• Demi-Sec & 19-pc Godiva Chocolates Thank You Gift Set (search item no. 100653)
• Demi-Sec & 19-pc Godiva Chocolates Wedding Gift Set (search item no. 104066)
• Rose (search item no. 87191)
• 1989 Vintage Brut Reserve (375ml half-bottle) (search item no. 22914)

In 1816, Mme. Clicquot invented the process, called rémuage or riddling, that removes the yeast from the bottle. She used holes cut in her kitchen table to perfect the method of slowly tilting and turning the bottles to gather the spent yeast in the neck of the bottle. Once settled it could be removed by freezing the neck in a brine of salt and water, removing it, and recorking.

The company was taken public in 1963, and merged with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey in 1986. Today, Jacques Peters is the chief winemaker at Veuve Clicquot, and was appointed cellar master in 1985. He has undertaken an ambitious program since this time to upgrade the grape sources, improve the vineyards, and improve the cellars and production facilities.

Very intense color. Very strong nose, dominated above all by fruity notes and a high mineral content. Cultivation methods add a touch of additional complexity. Strong palate and full-flavored. The wine is structured, with very smooth tannins. The finish is long and savory.

Cabernet Sauvignon 62%, Merlot 33%, Cabernet Franc 3%, Petit-Verdot 2%

• 2005 (1.5 Liter Magnum) (search item no. 124637)

In 1865, the noted wine shipper Hermann Cruse acquired the chateau and its 120 hectares of vones. The Cruse dynasty provided the financial means to make one of the greatest wines in the Medoc. In 1975, Guy Tesseron, solidly implanted in the Cognac region, and owner of Lafon Rochet in St-Estephe, purchsed Pontet-Canet. Assisted by his son Alfred, he has done much to develop the reputation of this famous classified growth. "Quality" is the key word in the vineyard and cellars.

THE BOTTLE
2006 marks the unveiling of Armand de Brignac in the stunning gold bottle originally developed by Cattier for the André Courrèges fashion house. Cattier's gold bottle also made an appearance at Queen Elizabeth II of England's Golden Jubilee celebration. All labels for each bottle of Armand de Brignac are made of real pewter, polished and applied by hand. Each bottle is packaged in a black embroidered velvet bag, which completes a package that speaks to the quality of the Armand de Brignac Champagne and the care taken with each step of its realization.

• Brut Gold (Ace of Spades) (1.5 Liter Magnum) (search item no. 120933)
• Brut Rose (Ace of Spades) (search item no. 123242)

Cristal 2004 – a highly seductive vintage reminiscent of the classic 1988 – has a slender, almost living freshness. Highly contemporary in its harmony and immediate seductiveness, it nevertheless remains first and foremost a great classic of northern Champagne, combining freshness, energy and an almost chalky mineral quality. The Cristal hallmarks are evident: purity, precision and the unique harmony of flavors associated with the subtle power of our historic vines, located on the finest Champagne Grand Cru terroirs.

"Brilliant yellow color displaying light amber nuances, combined with an ultra-fine, persistent, soft effervescence. There's an intense, highly expressive bouquet on the first nose! The aromatic elegance and precision of Chardonnay is apparent: white fruit, sweet pollen, fine citrus fruit and very pure minerality. After a few minutes, the aromas move on to more confit, lightly grilled hints. The bouquet is rich and sweet, almost generous, remaining precise and impeccably refined. The bite in the mouth is full and creamy, revealing an incredible concentration of juicy fruits: yellow peach, apricot, mango and others. This silky, meaty concentration, which is both dense and soft – and typical of great pinot noirs – is immediately combined with a sophisticated touch of acidity, bringing the wine alive with minerality. The overriding impression is one of a true harmony of flavors, senses and silky textures...Absolute sensuality." – Jean Baptiste Lécaillon, Cellar Master.

• Brut Premier (search item no. 13933)
• Brut Premier (375ML half-bottle) (search item no. 94575)
• Carte Blanche (search item no. 13929)
• 2005 Cristal Brut (search item no. 119568)
• 2007 Brut Rose (search item no. 115983)

First-Rate Vineyards
Champagne Louis Roederer is one of the only French champagne producers to own nearly 75 percent of the grapes in the most desirable vineyards in the Champagne. The property is located on 450 acres in the finest villages of Montagne de Reims, Côtes des Blancs, and Valleé de la Marne. Each region is selected to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with the elegance needed for perfectly balanced champagne. The Louis Roederer vineyards rate an average 98 percent based on France’s statutory 100-point classification scale.

The reserve wine is then tasted and graded by a team of Roederer specialists. They choose as many as 40 different wines from several lots for the blend. For the final touch, the wine is then added in order to enhance the cuvee and guarantee consistency while retaining the champagne's characteristics.

Cristal is produced using only the finest vintages from crus guaranteed to originate from the Louis Roederer vineyard. All the exceptional characteristics of the 2002 vintage have literally been captured in this Cristal 2002, which is generous and lush, revealing perfect balance between concentration and finesse, freshness and vinosity, intensity and refinement. In three words: proud, rich and luxurious.

Cristal 2002 is brilliant yellow with light amber highlights and has a beautiful mousse with fine cordon of persistent and regular bubbles. The nose is intense and delicate, revealing a clean and well-blended mixture of flavors of honey, cocoa, lightly toasted hazelnuts, candied citrus fruit. A savory explosion of ripe fruit on the attack, the wine reveals red fruit, white chocolate, caramel and Danish pastry, typical of Cristal. Its silky, concentrated texture relies on its intense, powerful and vinous structure, but maintains refinement. The palate builds up to attain a delicious sensation of well-blended harmony of flavors. A fresh finish with a hint of bitterness makes it almost crunchy.

• Brut Premier (search item no. 13933)
• Brut Premier (375ML half-bottle) (search item no. 94575)
• 2005 Cristal Brut (search item no. 119568)
• 2007 Brut Rose (search item no. 115983)

First-Rate Vineyards
Champagne Louis Roederer is one of the only French champagne producers to own nearly 75 percent of the grapes in the most desirable vineyards in the Champagne. The property is located on 450 acres in the finest villages of Montagne de Reims, Côtes des Blancs, and Valleé de la Marne. Each region is selected to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with the elegance needed for perfectly balanced champagne. The Louis Roederer vineyards rate an average 98 percent based on France’s statutory 100-point classification scale.

The reserve wine is then tasted and graded by a team of Roederer specialists. They choose as many as 40 different wines from several lots for the blend. For the final touch, the wine is then added in order to enhance the cuvee and guarantee consistency while retaining the champagne's characteristics.