Maison Krug’s white soloist: Clos Mesnil 2004

Since its debut in 1979, Krug Clos du Mesnil Champagne has been an exception, a homage to the purity of Chardonnay which with this much awaited 2004 vintage confirms its exceptional uniqueness.

Nothing happens by chance and while it is true a tad of luck can help big enterprises, it is also true that without method and determination many wonderful ideas remain on the drawing board. Nothing describes “method” better than what at Maison Krug has made history as “the founder’s dream”.

Joseph Krug had a very clear idea of what he wanted when he founded own his Maison in 1843: create the world’s best Champagne year after year. And in order to achieve this goal, in which the complexity of the blend becomes the key to not depending on the variability of a harvest’s quality, he began to create a reserve of wines. Each was made with grapes from a particular parcel in the vineyard where the terroir becomes a decisive factor and for this reason has a well-defined character.

Today it is Olivier Krug, the sixth generation of his family, who underscores the importance of the individuality of each parcel, of the harvest, fermentation, maturing, tasting the base wines and the final blend. It is a meticulous method that allowed his father Henri and uncle, Remy, to discover that certain Chardonnay wines from the village of Le Mesnil had an exuberant and recognizable character, an excellence that was confirmed year after year. They ascertained that these wines all came from a 1.84-hectare vineyard that has been walled in since 1698, thus a Clos, and they acquired it in 1971.

Since its debut in 1979, Krug Clos du Mesnil Champagne has been an exception, a homage to the purity of Chardonnay which with this much awaited 2004 vintage confirms its exceptional uniqueness. This is the “most Krug” of all recent Clos du Mesnil Champagnes, especially considering the unpredictable 2003 vintage that came before it. It is the product of a harvest that took place at the end of September after a season that saw a late spring and a summer in which the sun during the day and cool nighttime temperatures worked hand-in-hand. After sitting on the lees for 12 years, Krug Clos du Mesnil 2004 has a brilliant personality and luminous color, with a sunny bouquet of Mediterranean citrus, intense sensations almond short crust and chestnut honey, notes of grapefruit peel and candied ginger and a streak of flint that compliments the freshness and anticipates a captivating, kaleidoscopic and generously bold mouthfeel with elegant finesse and a broad and very long finish. This 2004 is a great Krug Clos du Mesnil that comes close to perfection with a 99/100 rating with the last point sure to come with aging. 1200 Euros

To know everything there is to know about this Champagne download the Krug App and type in KrugID 416040.

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