2004 Vintage Krug

Winemaker notes:

“The wines of the year [2004] were at once highly expressive, bright and undeniably elegant. The vivacity, tension, and citrus notes of the Meuniers and the shining Chardonnays combined with the backbone of the Pinot Noir gave rise to a very balanced year. Combining generosity and precision, elegance and character, Krug 2004 tells the vibrant story of a fresh year.”

Critical acclaim:

“97 points.

“This is the current and latest vintage release from Krug, and is a fitting successor to 2002, though it’s very different in style – unusually, the blend contains more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. Despite this, it is hallmark Krug with its oxidative profile. It has a luminous freshness and good density without heaviness. There’s a controlled power to this poised, vinous, linear 2004, displaying candied fruits, minerals, gingerbread, white chocolate, caramel and marzipan. This has a long, dry autolytic finish, great balance and lovely bead. Disgorged just after the next, and very different, vintage we tasted, the Krug 2003. Drinking Window 2017-2037.” – Decanter

“97 points.

“The new release of 2004 Krug is absolutely beautiful and is already quite elegant and open on both the nose and palate and is drinking with great finesse. I had expected this wine to be a bit more steely in structure out of the blocks, but the refinement of the blend this year has produced a wine that is already a joy to drink at age thirteen, though it will continue age gracefully for many, many decades to come. The cépages in 2004 is thirty-nine percent Chardonnay, thirty-seven percent Pinot Noir and twenty-four percent Pinot Meunier, with the wine having been disgorged in the winter of 2016. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a refined mix of apple, a touch of walnut, warm bread, lavender, a superb base of soil tones and a topnote of smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with vibrant acids, great focus and grip, a lovely core, refined mousse and a very long, complex, racy and energetic finish. There is marvelous precision here on both the nose and palate, not to mention a sense of harmony and grace that is fairly rare in the 2004 vintage. Chapeau! 2017-2060.” – John Gillman

“97 points.

“This is an extremely fresh edition and remains in a restrained mode with an intense serve of Chardonnay’s lemon citrus dominating the nose alongside lime zest, bright florals, grassy elements, fresh dough, white stones and very subtle background spice. The palate has a svelte and elegant shape. Smoother than the 2002, it shares the same quality of precision but not the raging power of that vintage. The poise is unquestionable, the wine very reserved, with plenty of lemon-infused citrus flavors, hints of fresh cashew and a lot of potential. Acidity holds superbly, the dosage is exactly where it should be. This is a classic release. It’s all about Chardonnay. Best from 2022 and will mature gracefully in linear style in bottle for several decades.” – James Suckling

“97 points.

“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.” – Vinous

“96 points.

“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.” Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“18.5 / 20 points.

“Disgorged spring 2016. 39% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, 24% Meunier. Named ‘Luminous Freshness’ at Krug. The beautiful weather in harvest time from mid-September to early October made 2004 a generous year following the challenging extremes and limited yields of 2003. Tasted blind. Very lively mousse. Pale straw. Even a slight green streak to the colour. Neat, dense and flirtatious on the nose. Very fresh and zesty on the nose. Hugely tight and green and tense on the palate. Very youthful. Marked acidity and very bracing indeed. As though based on a very youthful vintage. Bone-dry finish. The nose is much more developed than the palate.” – Jancis Robinson