Uber-cult Champagne: Boërl & Kroff Vertical Magnum 1998 - 2006
We are extremely fortunate to get a hold of a parcel of these extremely rare bottlings of Boërl & Kroff champagnes. They are so rare that many critics don’t even have the chance to taste it! And here you have it, 3 vintages of Boërl & Kroff for your champagne portfolio.
“I wish I could drink more of my champagne at home … my biggest problem is that I have too little.” - Patrick Sabaté
It all started with a conversation in 1994 between Champagne icon Michel Drappier, Patrick Sabaté (whose family owned a global cork company) and Stephane Sesé. Over lunch, as Drappier reminisced about a special cuvée that his father produced in the 1960s using grapes from 3 family-owned vineyards with southern exposure. The trio quickly realized that they were in a good position to create “something totally different, something you haven't tasted before” (Sabaté).
Drappier set about with production while giving exclusive rights to the champagne to Patrick and Stephane, and the first Boerl & Kroff vintage champagne was born with the first harvest in 1995. It was so exceptional that Drappier decided to bottle that miniscule harvest only in 2,500 magnums and a handful of larger-sized formats, and these were to spend at least 12 years in the cellar. That first vintage was only released in the market in 2007, and a quick search online will show that there’s hardly any left today. According to William Kelley (Wine Advocate), Boërl & Kroff produce only about 3,000 magnums in the best years – and he seems to be the only wine critic other than Champagne expert, Richard Juhlin, who has tasted this!
Uber-cult Champagne: Boërl & Kroff Vertical Magnum 1998 - 2006
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Wine Advocate (97)
Interestingly, the highlight of this tasting was not the 1996 or 1995 but rather the 1998 Brut, perhaps because the wine is actually fully mature. Bursting with a complex bouquet that marries scents of mandarin, peach, vanilla pod and beeswax with nuances of English walnuts and fresh mushrooms, it's a full-bodied, rich and expansive Champagne that's concentrated and gourmand but impressively racy and precise despite its textural, muscular style, concluding with a long and sapid finish. I suspect the 1998 will be shorter lived than the 1996 and 1995—though of course it's certainly in no danger of decline any time soon—but it would be my pick for drinking today.Inc. GSTSG$3,195.34 -
Wine Advocate (95+)
Most of the 2002 Brut from Boërl & Kroff was bottled in 750-milliliter bottles, so only 800 magnums were produced—a surprising decision, given the vintage, and one Sabaté now laments. Offering up a rich but youthful bouquet of waxy lemon rind, mandarin, warm biscuits, candied peel and honeycomb, this is a full-bodied, vinous Champagne with considerable structure and concentration, with its creamy and muscular profile exemplifying the house style. Long and powerful, it's a terrific wine that will delight admirers of old fashioned Champagne.Inc. GSTSG$1,445.89
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Wine Advocate (97)
Interestingly, the highlight of this tasting was not the 1996 or 1995 but rather the 1998 Brut, perhaps because the wine is actually fully mature. Bursting with a complex bouquet that marries scents of mandarin, peach, vanilla pod and beeswax with nuances of English walnuts and fresh mushrooms, it's a full-bodied, rich and expansive Champagne that's concentrated and gourmand but impressively racy and precise despite its textural, muscular style, concluding with a long and sapid finish. I suspect the 1998 will be shorter lived than the 1996 and 1995—though of course it's certainly in no danger of decline any time soon—but it would be my pick for drinking today.In BondSG$2,915.00 -
Wine Advocate (95+)
Most of the 2002 Brut from Boërl & Kroff was bottled in 750-milliliter bottles, so only 800 magnums were produced—a surprising decision, given the vintage, and one Sabaté now laments. Offering up a rich but youthful bouquet of waxy lemon rind, mandarin, warm biscuits, candied peel and honeycomb, this is a full-bodied, vinous Champagne with considerable structure and concentration, with its creamy and muscular profile exemplifying the house style. Long and powerful, it's a terrific wine that will delight admirers of old fashioned Champagne.In BondSG$1,310.00
