Would You Pay $650 For A Glass Of The Modern Era’s Greatest Champagne?

• Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008, among the world’s most extraordinary and coveted champagnes, is now available exclusively by the glass at Sydney’s Bennelong Restaurant & Bar.
• Universally acknowledged as “one of the great years in modern Champagne history,” a single glass of this vaunted vintage will cost you $650.
• An entire 750ml bottle of Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008, on the other hand, will set you back as much as $9,000 (via CaskCartel).

The more you experience, the quicker you tend to realise that most experiences are only worth however much you’re willing to appraise them for. That is, with a few key exceptions – one being the seemingly non-negotiable premium attached to sampling the 2008 vintage of Krug Clos du Mesnil champagne.

For the uninitiated, a potent combination of extremely limited production, widespread global acclaim led by revered critics – such as James Suckling, Robert Parker, and Antonio Galloni – and its undeniable quality has granted this legendary drop an almost mythical status. To the point where the very mention of it is usually supplemented with phrases like “world’s greatest” and “highly sought-after.”

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Sourced from a single, walled vineyard spanning less than two hectares in the heart of Mesnil-sur-Oger, the vaunted nectar is crafted from Chardonnay and produced only in “exceptional years” like the cool, slow-ripening 2008 season – which resulted in “elegant Chardonnays with a beauty and precision… a champagne regarded by many as the purest expression of a single plot, single varietal and single vintage.”

And as of today, the Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008 is available exclusively by the glass beneath the distinct sails of Sydney Opera House, within the confines of acclaimed fine diner Bennelong Restaurant & Bar. The price tag for the privilege? $650 a pop.

“We are thrilled to partner with Bennelong, our newest Krug Ambassade, to offer this unprecedented opportunity to experience… arguably one of the world’s best and rarest champagnes, by the glass,” expressed Nausicaa Charrier, Marketing & Communication Director of Moët Hennessy ANZ.

“Together with Bennelong’s talented chefs, Peter Gilmore and Rob Cockerill, Fink Group’s Wine Director Amanda Yallop is also the face of our Bennelong Krug Ambassade, and we’re proud to present an exceptional Krug experience in one of the world’s most iconic dining destinations.”

Fink Group’s Amanda Yallop added: “Bennelong is the only place in the world right now where you can have the unforgettable, perhaps even once-in-a-lifetime, chance to experience Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008 by the glass.”

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“It’s been described as the greatest champagne of the modern era, and we’re excited to extend this opportunity to Krug Lovers and Bennelong patrons in the coming weeks.”

If you happen to be a little short on a dollar but not in imagination, Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008 reputedly offers “delicate aromas of orange madeleine and the menthol signature” of its Mesnil-sur-Oger plot, with the enticing palate exuding citrus in all its forms.

Grapefruit skin apparently gives way to ripe, candied citrus flavours alongside a delightful bitterness that – wouldn’t you know it – pairs wonderfully with Bennelong signatures such as the restaurant’s fresh Sydney Rock oysters, Western Australian marron, and pasture-raised Maremma duck.

Be sure to head on down if you’re willing to splurge.