Krug Brut 2004 #417034 (750ML)

97+ VM / 97 WA / 97 JS / 96 DE / 95 WS / 18.5+ JR

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. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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. - Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

ID: 214041 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

2004 was a late harvest year, and this vintage Krug, composed of 39% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 24% Pinot Meunier, possesses an impressive aromatic richness of hazelnuts, white fruit and spring flowers. There's both density and freshness on the palate, and an engaging counterpoint between vinosity and tension achieves a compelling, harmonious balance. Worthy of an audacious match with sea urchins! - Decanter

A graceful Champagne, wowing more for its elegance and fine integration than the underlying power and tension. The delicate mousse caresses the palate, carrying flavors of blackberry, candied kumquat and lemon sorbet with rich accents of espresso crema, pastry cream and chopped almond. Fresh and focused on the lasting, spiced finish. Disgorged autumn 2017. Drink now through 2030. - AN, Wine Spectator

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

“Combining delicacy, balance and bountiful citrus of all types, Krug 2004 – named Luminous Freshness by the House – evokes the sensations of early summer mornings in Champagne.

This bottle spent at least 13 years in Krug’s cellars, receiving its cork in spring 2014.

Composed of a selection of the year’s most characterful wines, Krug 2004 is the expression of the year 2004, revealed by Krug.

The year 2004 called for patience with a crisp winter and chill spring keeping temperatures in Champagne cool for an exceptionally long time. May brought a gentle warmth to the region and in late summer the grapes ripened perfectly in the radiant sunshine. 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. Nature’s elation afforded a breadth of choice in 2004, offering more characterful yet mature grapes than any previous harvest. The wines of the year 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 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." - Eric Lebel, Chef de Caves, Krug