I was able to taste the new 2011 vintage from Krug for the first time a couple of weeks ahead of its March 1, 2024 release with Olivier Krug in New York. In addition, he presented it alongside the 2006 vintage and the 167th Edition of Grand Cuvee, which was released in 2020. Because the latter hit the market during the height of the pandemic, Oliver reflected that this edition of the Grand Cuvee is likely to be more difficult to track down due to the high consumption rate at that time. That being said, I highly encourage those who may be skeptical of the new release to seek the Grand Cuvee out, as it’s composed around the 2011 vintage but was disgorged four years earlier, so it offers some of the same characteristics we can expect to see with the 2011 in the future.
The harvest for the 2011 was the second-earliest since 1822, taking place from August 25 through September 5. Conditions were warm, with notable heat through May, a three-day spike that stopped maturation, and cool, wet conditions leading up to harvest. The conditions favored Pinot Noir and resulted in Chardonnay with ripe fruit profiles.