Wine Advisor
Krug, Vintage Brut 2004
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stephan Reinhardt
From a fresh vintage and internally nicknamed "Luminous Freshness," Krug's light golden colored 2004 Brut is brighter on the nose than the 2002 that I tasted next to it. There are fresh, candied citrus as well as ripe yellow-fleshed fruit aromas along with floral and lots of chalky notes on the well-concentrated bouquet. The palate is incredibly fruity, vibrantly fresh yet delicate and very well balanced and is provided with great elegance, texture, finesse and remarkable mineral tension. The 2004—a blend of Chardonnay (39%), Pinot Noir (37%) and Pinot Meunier (24%)—is completely built on freshness and taut yet balanced vitality. It is the last of the second trilogy in the history of the House, the first being 1988, 1989 and 1990 and the second 2002, 2003 and 2004. Tasted in April 2018 from ID 316034 that was disgorged in III/2016.
Reviewed by: Stephan Reinhardt
Combining subtleness with complexity, the coolish Krug 2004 Brut opens with a highly elegant, fascinatingly clear, bright and refreshing bouquet of ripe (apple) fruits. Dense and round, with a delicate mineral soul, the pure but perfectly balanced 2004 reveals great finesse and weightless elegance with a long and round finish. This is a gorgeous Krug vintage that is 14 years old but still on the rise. Tasted from ID 316034 in New York in November 2018.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Krug's 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Krug's 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.
About the Producer
The House was established in Reims in 1843, by Joseph Krug, a visionary non-conformist with an uncompromising philosophy. Having understood that the true essence of Champagne is pleasure itself, his dream was to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, every single year, regardless of annual variations in climate. Paying close attention to the vineyard’s character, respecting the individuality of each plot and its wine, as well as building an extensive library of reserve wines from many different years allowed Joseph Krug to fulfil his dream. With a very original approach to Champagne making, he decided to go beyond the notion of vintage to create the most generous expression of Champagne, every year. Thus, he founded a House in which all Champagnes are of the same level of distinction. Six generations of the Krug family have perpetuated this dream, enriching the founder’s vision and savoir faire.
