1998 Krug Brut Champagne

“If you are a Krug classicist, this is your wine. There’s nothing like it, other than prior great vintages of Krug (and perhaps the 2002, when that breaks away from the cellar). My notes on this wine are extensive, but the one word underlined is Kruggy: It has the power and stodgy brilliance of Krug. The depth of the wine is hard to describe, with ethereal quince and sweet spice providing sunniness to counter the gravitas of the structure. It brought to mind the crostini topped with uni and lardo at Marea in NYC—a dish that would bring out the layers of lime, lemon zest and shellfish broth in this wine. It would also match well with rich Lyonnaise cuisine, a foie gras terrine, duck confit…whether you open it now or in 20 years.” (12/2012)

“This harmonious Champagne offers luxurious texture and powerful, focused acidity, showing aromatic accents of spring blossom, crushed thyme and chai, with rich notes of lemon meringue, hazelnut, black currant and fresh porcini mushroom. The full package. Impressive. *Collectible* (AN)” (12/2012)

“Although the aromas are toasty, the flavors are still so fresh, rich, complex. This is a wonderful expression of taut minerality, pure citrus zest and then a wood-toast character that gives the wine both richness and sophistication. Given the fresh, intense fruit, this will certainly age for many years. (RV)” (12/2012)

“It had been three years since I last crossed paths with a bottle of the 1998 Krug Vintage and the wine was just starting to blossom when I had it back in the summer of 2013. Three more years of bottle age have really done justice to this excellent wine and this most recent bottle was absolutely wide open and singing on both the nose and palate. The bouquet is deep, pure and shows a lovely, almost exotic sheen of fresh nutmeg and fresh coconut to augment more classic Krug notes of peach, tangerine, patissière, caraway seed and a glorious base of soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and inviting on the attack, with a rock solid core, great transparency, refined mousse and exceptional length and grip on the very long and focused finish. Just a beautiful vintage of Krug that is now reaching its apogee and promises to dazzle for the next several decades.” (05/2016)

“Bright gold. Ripe orchard fruits, peach pit, toffee, marzipan and dried flowers on the pungent, smoky nose. Broad and fleshy on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering palate-staining pit fruit nectar, apple pie and brioche flavors, enhanced by a toffeed quality. Closes spicy and very long, with resonating smoke and toasted hazlenut qualities. (JR)” (12/2012)