Krug Vertical Masterclass with Champagne Master, Tyson Stelzer
With the Grand Cuvee Editions
169 (Magnum) | 170 | 171 | 172
The Vintage Releases from
2011 | 2006 | 2004
The Rose Editions
27 & 28
Masterclass: 1pm-4pm, 9 Krug Champagnes With Kate Lamont Canapes, $495
Saturday 15 November
Hosted by multi-award winning wine writer, television host, producer, author and Champagne Master, Tyson Stelzer
Masterclass: 1pm-4pm, 9 Krug Champagnes With Kate Lamont Canapes, $495
The Krug Context
Krug Champagne Among the TOP 100 Premium
Wine & Spirits Brands of the World 2023
luxurylifestyleawards.com
The House was established in Reims in 1843, by Joseph Krug, a visionary non-conformist with an uncompromising philosophy. Having understood that the true essence of Champagne is pleasure itself, his dream was to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, every single year, regardless of annual variations in climate. Paying close attention to the vineyard’s character, respecting the individuality of each plot and its wine, as well as building an extensive library of reserve wines from many different years allowed Joseph Krug to fulfil his dream.
With a very original approach to Champagne making, he decided to go beyond the notion of vintage to create the most generous expression of Champagne, every year. Thus, he founded a House in which all Champagnes are of the same level of distinction.
Six generations of the Krug family have perpetuated this dream, enriching the founder’s vision and savoir faire.
(Krug)
Tyson Stelzer’s tasting notes, published in his international bestseller, ‘The Champagne Guide’, describe the Krug as “scintillating” and “charged with high tensile energy.”
"Krug leaves other great champagnes in its wake, as it fills the senses to overflowing." James Halliday
"God makes a vintage, I make Grande Cuvée." Joseph Krug
"Krug is the king of champagne." James Halliday
Tyson Stelzer | Our Host
Tyson Stelzer is a multi-award-winning wine writer, television host and producer, author of 18 wine books, international keynote speaker and wine show chairman and judge. He was named The International Wine & Spirit Communicator of the Year 2015 (in the International Wine & Spirit Competition), the Australian Wine Communicator of the Year 2015 and 2013 (The Wine Communicators of Australia) and The International Champagne Writer of the Year 2011 (in The Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards).
In 2021 he was named the Most Influential Opinion Maker in the annual power list of Who’s Who in Australia by Meininger’s Wine Business International (Germany).
As a television presenter, Tyson is the host and producer of the People of the Vines series. He is the author of six editions of The Champagne Guide, a regular columnist for many magazines, and a contributor to Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine.
As an international speaker, Tyson has presented at wine events across Australia, France, Italy, Austria, Greece, Montenegro, the US, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, South Africa and New Zealand . He is a regular judge and chairman at wine shows throughout Australia and is a co-creator with UK wine writer Matthew Jukes of The Great Australian Red Competition and The Great New Zealand Pinot Noir Classification. Tyson is a tutor at the Len Evens Tutorial, considered to be the most exclusive wine school in the world.
He is the creator and host of The Champagne Tour, the Advanced Champagne Certificate and of Taste Champagne, the biggest global champagne showcase, with events across Australia, the UK and Hong Kong.
Tyson is the founder and director of Teen Rescue Foundation, a charity to actively discourage and reduce harmful alcohol use and its consequences among under-age teens. He has raised more than $468,000 for charities through his philanthropic initiatives over the past decade.
He is a winner of the Best French Wine Book in Australia 2020 and 2014, Best Digital Wine Book in Australia 2017, Digital Wine Communicator of the Year 2015, Best Wine Book of the Year 2014, Best Trade or Technical Writer of the Year 2013 and the Award for Best Food and Wine Writing 2008.
Tyson Stelzer’s status as a wine writer and author continues to soar.
James Halliday
Stelzer is a persuasive new voice… the new kid on the block with a very bright future.
World of Fine Wine, UK
Tyson Stelzer is one of Australia’s youngest, most serious and greatest wine writers.
John Jens Lamont’s Wine Store, Perth
Of the new generation of Champagne specialists, Tyson Stelzer is certainly one of the most interesting.
Decanter Magazine, UK
Stelzer has been in the game just 15 years but he could well be the next James Halliday, such is his intellect, organisation and communication skills, work ethic, humility and above all his palate.
Wine Business Magazine
tysonstelzer.com
The Champagnes
1st Bracket
KRUG GRANDE CUVEE EDITION 169ème MAGNUM
What can one say? Magnificent; all this power with all this finesse, elegance and freshness, from the first whiff to the aftertaste. Apple, grapefruit blossom, dried and fresh fruits and spicy pastry. One glass is never enough, with or without food. 169ème Édition; 146 wines, 11 different years '00-'13; 43/35/22% pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier.
99 points and Top 100 Wines of 2021 - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion 99 points and Top 100 Wines of 2021
KRUG GRANDE CUVEE EDITION 170ème
Wonderful precision and depth right away on the nose, with dried pineapple, light apricot and hints of flint and slate. Medium-bodied palate that’s firm, bright and linear. Vivid, driven acidity adds focus and perfection. Dried lemon and a wonderful, creamy texture with a mineral undertone. Extremely long, almost endless. Sophistication here. Drink or hold.
96 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
KRUG GRANDE CUVEE EDITION 171ème
James Suckling Top 100 Wines of the World 2023
James Halliday Top 100 Wines of 2023
James Suckling Top 100 Wines of France 2023
Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition NV Non vintage? Technically so, but in fact there is a new edition every year, this the 171st, based on 131 wines from 12 vintages dating back to 2000. It is composed of 45/37/18% pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. Krug’s power is an iron fist in a velvet glove, and it’s my favourite champagne.
99 points and Top 100 Wines of 2023 - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
The tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme brulee. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavorful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end. Drink or hold.
99 Points - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
KRUG GRANDE CUVEE EDITION 172ème
Beautiful notes of dried citrus fruit, lemon curd and dried apples with hints of spices, dried flowers and subtle brioche. I like the polished and caressing texture and steady, refreshing acidity. It’s fresh and even austere, with notes of ground spices. So vertical and firm. Structured and long. Drink or hold.
97 Points - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
97 Points - Natalie Earl, Decanter
2nd Bracket
KRUG VINTAGE 2011
A floral expression, bright and fairly dainty. It's taut and youthful, with a rounded and lightly chewy texture, finishing lean but still succulent and hyper fresh. A changeable vintage which saw the vines flower three weeks earlier than usual, with cool and wet weather thereafter, followed by intense heat then heavy rainfall.
94 Points - Natalie Earl, Decanter (2024)
KRUG VINTAGE 2006
Krug leaves other great champagnes in its wake, as it fills the senses to overflowing. A blend of 48% pinot noir, 35% chardonnay and 17% pinot meunier; 12 years on tirage. It has an incredibly complex play between berry fruits and spicy brioche flavours and it's hard to imagine a better structured and balanced wine. *2020 Top 100*
99 Points, James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
KRUG VINTAGE 2004
"Krug's 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle."
97 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
97 Points - Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
97 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
97 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
3rd Bracket
KRUG ROSE EDITION 27
Aromas of bread dough and watermelon with peaches on the nose. Some dried fruits. Full-bodied with phenolic tannins, like a fine pinot noir. The finish is very Burgundian with rose hip tea and dried lemons and kumquats. Crunchy. Delicious finish. Drink now or hold.
98 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
KRUG ROSE EDITION 28
Beautiful peach-pink color with a copper hue and a lot of floral nuances on the nose, offering dried cherries, peach skin and spices. It shows intensity and power, yet with elegance and precision. Full-bodied with a fine texture and phenolic tension. Bright and already delicious with some zesty, dried orange peel character at the end. Drink or hold.
97 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com