Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
“[…] should I be sad that so many will miss the greatness of encountering one of the world’s greatest treasures of pleasure?”
Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin
The quote comes from Richard Juhlin in connection with the tasting of the 2008 Krug Clos du Mesnil, which he gives an impressive 99 points. And it’s definitely not everyday fare from perhaps the world’s most critical champagne reviewer!
Juhlin sets the stage for this extraordinarily unique investment opportunity. Not only is the total production of Krug Clos du Mesnil limited to only 12,000 bottles per vintage, but Clos du Mesnil is also a single vineyard, a monopoly Champagne. In addition, 2008 is a legendary vintage in Champagne – a wine on the bucket list of many wine connoisseurs and future champagne enthusiasts.
This is also the first time we are widely offering the 2008 Krug Clos du Mesnil (the house’s latest release) as an investment. That’s how rare it is. That’s how exclusive it is.
Krug: Perhaps the best champagne house in the world
Krug is considered one of the absolute best champagne houses in the world. Full stop! It is no coincidence that the house, since 1999, has been owned by the luxury giant LVMH Group. Known for its uncompromising commitment to quality as its cornerstone, LVMH also brings significant marketing power and a highly professional distribution network to elevate Krug’s famous champagnes.
If you’re not already familiar with Krug, we’ve written an in-depth profile that you can explore to learn more.
2008 Krug Clos du Mesnil touches perfection
When a vintage champagne bears the 2008 label, expectations are high – and so is demand. 2008 is a reference vintage in Champagne, celebrated for its exceptional and prestigious cuvées from the world’s leading champagne houses.
2008 Krug Clos du Mesnil has received 99 points from Richard Juhlin, 98+ points from Wine Advocate and 99 points from Vinous. With an average of 98.7 points across these three critics, it ranks among the finest Krug Clos du Mesnil releases of all time. It is only marginally surpassed by 1996 (99.3 points), 1988 (100 points) and 1979 (99 points) – all vintages that, like 2008, come from legendary Champagne years.
Price drops in a turbulent market…
…has become a recurring argument for investment in recent years – and it is still relevant. Just 18 months ago the valuation for the 2008 Krug Clos du Mesnil was €2,000. Today the price is €1,700, which means a saving of 15%.
[read the full Investement case at RareWineInvest]
Richard Juhlin on Krug ‘Clos du Mesnil’
For me, Krug Clos du Mesnil is the best wine in the world!
Richard Juhlin on Krug ‘Clos du Mesnil’
The Clos d´Ambonnay is a shockingly expensive rarity. The most costly young champagne in the world is worth 3,000 euros per bottle which does not seem to frighten away Krug fans since all 3,000 bottles are already booked up. The wine itself is fantastic most especially since it is clearly a brother belonging to the same sibling group in the Krug family. This wine is much more the breath of Krug than of Ambonnay, just as the Clos du Mesnil is in its own niche. It feels as though all Krug wines receive a last tiny squirt of Krug perfume that distinguishes them from everything else wherever their origins.
Krug ‘Clos du Mesnil’
98(99)p
100CH
TASTING NOTE ‘Every time I encounter my favorite wine, Krug Clos du Mesnil, I get goosebumps while my senses are heightened. This time we meet together with Krug’s management and my traveling party from the Champagne Club on Boulevard Lundy in Reims. Details so small, and to the uninitiated almost invisible, arouse my emotional interest. While the specially composed music enhances our impressions, I can’t help but wonder if everyone understands how grand this is. How wide is the difference in individual perception? Is it moments like this and my special ability to go deep into the soul of wine that made me dedicate my life to this divine drink?
Should I be happy about my innate and trained talent or should I be sad that so many will miss the greatness of encountering one of the world’s greatest treasures of pleasure? A faint sea breeze, freshly laundered sheets, a hint of orange liqueur, a note of the spark when an iron skewer meets flint, sunny chalk on a June morning in the Côte des Blancs, oyster shells on the granite slab washed by the foaming waves of Bretagne, vibrating nervousness, freshly squeezed Sorrento lemon, white peach, walnut oil, soloistic clarity, multifaceted transience, crystal clear uplifting rippling alpine stream, jasmine, the white lilacs at our country estate. Colors of grey, white, orange, neon green and lemon yellow interact with the music and the unimaginable youthful vibrancy of the wine. Everything swirls past in an incredibly floating and perfectly coordinated Pas de deux. There is an indescribable class here that can only be compared to Raveneau Les Clos and Montrachet from Lafon or DRC. The similarities are striking with these majestic cannons, but the fragile elegance is even greater in this simultaneously young and ultra-fresh storage wine.’
