Edouard’s Champagne Heartthrob - krug vintage 1988

Edouard Bourgeois
July 18, 2025

I wanted to share my thoughts on a truly memorable bottle: the Krug 1988. I've been fortunate enough to taste this exquisite Champagne more than once, and each experience has been exceptional. I particularly remember sharing a bottle with friends a couple of years ago alongside other fantastic wines, including Dauvissat, a vertical of Clos de Tart, and other exciting selections. However, the Krug 1988 truly stole the show.

So, what makes this wine such a standout? First, it's Krug. Few Champagne producers can maintain such a consistent level of class with a recognizable style that perfectly blends vibrancy and depth. Second, the vintage itself is remarkable. We often hear about the "trilogy" of exceptional Champagne vintages from 1988, 1989, and 1990. The 1988 vintage, with its combination of heat and rain, resulted in a slow maturation and balanced grapes with excellent acidity.

Subtle yet expressive, Krug 1988 originated from a year without extremes. This Champagne offers an exceptional balance between freshness and maturity. According to Wine Searcher, it has been the most popular Champagne in the world for the past 25 years. Another interesting aspect is the high proportion of Pinot Meunier (18%), with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay making up 50% and 32% respectively.

Krug 1988 is considered a hallmark of Maison Krug's artisanal excellence; an expressive, opulent, and sensual vintage on par with other legendary years like 1982, 1976, 1964, and 1947. It's worth noting that this 1988 was initially released almost a decade after harvest. While that might seem like a long time, Krug later decided to age it even longer, with bottles of the 1988 released in 2017 under the Krug "Collection" 1988 label. This speaks volumes about the incredible ageability of this exceptional vintage!

Whether it's the Collection or the regular vintage edition, the release of Krug 1988 marked the first time in Krug's 158-year history that its vintage chronology was reversed. The house actually released the 1989 and 1990 vintages before the 1988.