Professional Reviews
Antonio Galloni
AG
97
"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
Robert Parker
RP
97
"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
Jancis Robinson
JR
18.5
"Very pale gold. Zesty citrus, bright. More autolytic character than on the 172nd Grande Cuvée but it is a gentle toastiness. 2003 was hot and early. 2004 was big and very late. In the mouth, extremely creamy citrus, pure, gentle, a hint of greengage and extreme freshness. Apparently, this has barely aged since its release. Very little bottle-aged character (typical of 2004, suggests Krug).There's the saline briny freshness of the seaside. Rounded yet bright, too. 'Luminous' is a very good word chosen by Krug to refer to this."
Decanter
D
97
"A rich nose of baked cheesecake and Madeira cake, this 2004 is bold and expressive, exploding in the mouth with citrus intensity and creamy luxury. Layering Custard Cream biscuits over sweet candied lemon rind, marzipan sweetness and creamy oats, the finish remains hyper fresh with a mineral underlay. Textured like fine silk, this is expressive and approachable now, playing the richness of butterscotch against white florals and candied peach, all underpinned by long, flowing acidity. Following the widespread heatwave of 2003, the 2004 growing season started fairly cool, yet final yields were generous."
Wine Spectator
WS
95
"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."
