Krug, Vintage Brut 2003

Krug, Vintage Brut 2003

"Soft, supple and delicate in the glass, the 2003 Vintage is super expressive today. Smoke, brioche, apple tart and spice notes flesh out in a resonant, impeccably layered Champagne loaded with personality. I can't think of a young Krug Champagne that delivers this much pure pleasure at such a young stage in its life. The 2003 has developed nicely since I last tasted it about six months ago. This is class personified.

This shows a rich nose featuring deep and ripe Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: Red fruits, some dark mushrooms, plenty of grilled nuts, caramel, some deep spices, dried citrus, lemon peel and bready aromas are all on offer. The trademark complexity is here too, and this freshens with air. The palate is intricately detailed and stitched together like needlework. It's very precise, very even, and the acidity is articulated with some finesse, even if this has much more in terms of phenolics as the leading structural component. The phenolics are rich and ripe, and they sit polished and even around immensely concentrated fruits such as peaches, nectarines and white cherries. The finish is deep, even and resonant. Drink now but rest assured that this will hold for a very long time – just like Krug has proven in other warm years such as '76.