1998 Krug

Aired briefly in bottle for about 30 minutes before being served at Golden Peony, Conrad International Singapore, this evening on the occasion of Mom’s 80th birthday and drunk over the next two-and-a-half hours. Clear golden. The initial whiff only yielded some toasty oak and roasted almonds that was met on the palate by a high-toned crystalline minerality from the medium to full-bodied wine. Gradually, as it sat in the glass, further notes of white flowers, walnuts and malt crept in, developing more depth at the same time, the fizz settling down onto a more even spread, allowing one to appreciate the fine balance between the lively acidity, alcohol and fruit, the yeasty hallmark of Krug making an appearance as well. 1998 is the last vintage of that decade for Krug (after 1990, 1995 & 1996) and I must say the 1998 doesn’t lose much ground at all next to the 1996. This has the trappings of a generous wine that’s still obviously very youthful. I shall leave my remaining bottles alone to flesh out over this decade whilst accumulating more. At SGD288 (airport duty-free), it’s almost a steal.