Grand Cuvée is more tense and fresh in its current late 2011 disgorgements than I have ever seen it. In spite of its profound maturity and inimitable complexity, it sings with a youthful definition that Krug has progressively refined in recent years. A zesty, crunchy amalgam of apple, pear and every form of citrus you can conjure opens into a maelstrom of molten wax, wisps of smouldering truffle, Christmas spice and kirsch. Decadently rich, extravagantly complex and thunderingly expansive, Grande Cuvée is a vinous champagne of multifaceted personality, yet ever-heightened tension and unerring focus, tapping into deep wells of scintillating, swirling minerality. Profound nuances of exotic spice flicker for minutes after you swallow. Every bit as enchanting as its legendary reputation promises, this is a champagne to drink slowly from large glasses, to witness an entire universe of captivating theatrics unfold as it warms. $199 at Kemenys and United Cellars.