Champagne Brut
Vintage 2004

The Champagne Krug Vintage represents one of the most fully realised expressions of the Maison's vision, a "two-dimensional" interpretation of the Krug style, built on the meeting of three grape varieties and a single harvest, chosen only when the year reveals an out-of-the-ordinary character. It is not a better or worse Krug than the others, but a different Krug, one able to express balance and completeness in continuity with its predecessors. It is the most rigorous and definitive reading the Maison offers of an unrepeatable year, endowed with a unique personality, translated into a Champagne that is rare and destined to endure over time. The result is a cuvée capable of harmonising the specific profile of a single harvest with the intense, deep, and inspired style that has always defined Krug.

Krug 2004, named "Luminous Freshness" by the Maison, evokes the sensations of the first summer mornings in the Champagne region, in a vintage that yielded highly expressive, lively, elegant wines with a luminous structure. It is the final chapter of the second trilogy in Krug's history, after the one composed of the 1988, 1989, and 1990 vintages and following the earlier 2002 and 2003. The blend sees Chardonnay (39%) bring splendour and luminosity, Pinot Noir (37%) structure and balance, and Meunier (24%) tension and citrus notes. The first fermentation, carried out according to the Maison's historic method in small oak casks, preserves the identity of each plot, while the balance and refinement of this vintage are the result of more than 18 years of ageing on the lees in the cellars of Reims, during which it developed harmony, expression, and elegance. A wine made to engage with time and to improve slowly in the cellars of those who know how to wait for it.

On tasting, Krug 2004 appears with a golden robe shot through with brilliant highlights. On the nose it is of rare intensity, with ripe citrus, grapefruit zest, candied cedrat, and bergamot, completed by notes of dried fruit, buttery brioche, acacia honey, white flowers, and a breath of fine pastry. On the palate the entry is broad and deep, with a texture that unites the splendour of the Chardonnay with the structure of the Pinot Noir and the citrus tension of the Meunier, supported by a vibrant acidity and a salinity that sculpts every sip. The persistence draws to a close that is exceedingly long, refined, and rhythmic, leaving a finish of rare complexity. Krug ID 223029