1986 Krug Champagne Clos du Mesnil

Community Tasting Notes (34) Avg Score: 94 points

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  3/6/2024 - sh6k Likes this wine: 96 Points

  Cork came out a little too easily and was compact and fairly hard, so I imagine a better-stored bottle would show better than this. (That said, this wasn't a flawed bottle, just an average-for-almost-40-years-old bottle).
  
  Dark Sauternes color. Almost no bubbles left. Huge broad nose of butterscotch and butter and a bit of sherry and nuts. Such an engrossing nose. On the palate -- so much power -- vibrant acidity plus nuts and butterscotch and hints of sherry and whispers of mushroom, plus brooding notes of smoke and earth. So much power. Long finish of that acidity and sherry and nuts and apricots and hints of pineapple and kiwi.
  
  Did I mention how strong the acid still is? I can't fathom what it was like at release. Face-melting.
  
  Compared to similar-age Krug Grand Cuvée (92 base) or Vintage (88 or 82): CdM is less complex, more direct, more linear, so the aging character doesn't slot in as well with the CdM and I'd give the nod to the other cuvées.
  
  Compared to the 06 CdM: it's as powerful, and it has a much stronger acid line than the 06. The mushrooms and sherry signal age for sure but they're also adding some interest. It's less elegant than the 06.
  
  Re: the all-important drinking window: it's possible that in 10+ years the acid has mellowed and it's settled into some kind of amazing comfortable old age. It's also possible that the mushrooms and sherry just keep growing and it only gets worse. So I think it's more likely that it's only going to decline with age, but it for sure has a lot more life in it, and, who knows, it could become something more interesting.

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  1/5/2024 - Gcole42 Likes this wine: 98 Points

  Beautiful; as is typical for Clos du Mesnil, bready Tangerine lemon aromas, bright acidity and wonderful almost salty and chewy on the entry, perfect mousse, minimally oxidative but at 38 years at its sweet spot, drinks much much younger than its age would belie. Leaves you craving more.

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  12/6/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:

  Wine Workshop: Clos du Mesnil vertical (Atera - 77 Worth Street in NYC): Pretty and fresh and lovely. Almost a hint of floral notes to it. Some mineral. Drinking really nicely. There's this almost yummyness factor that makes you want to reach back for the glass as soon as the last sip is done.

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  7/30/2022 - KDWJ wrote:

  Bottle was done & little to no notes @ all

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  3/10/2021 - Collector1855 wrote: 97 Points

  Krug Clos du Mesnil – Complete Vertical 1979-2006 tasted blind (Singapore): This was the group’s runner up in this flight. Discrete nose at first, then opening up with tangerine, orange marmalade, biscuit, finely oxidative. More sweetness on the palate than the 1989. Very refined.

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