The 2000 Vintage is just beginning to develop hints of tertiary complexity. Dried peach, pear, almond, honey and spice notes flesh out beautifully on the glass. The 2000 is a fairly open Vintage texturally, but if given a choice, my preference would be to give the wine a few years in bottle to allow the flavors to develop a bit more than they are today. Right now, the 2000 is in an awkward place where it is neither young nor old, a stage in a wine's development that is hardly ever fully satisfying. ID 311029 - LLLLZX
(Krug decided to create a vintage wine for the last year of the millennium and dubbed this "Gourmandise Orageuse" or Stormy Indulgence, since it culminated from a challenging year in the vineyard.) A wonderfully layered and nuanced nose features an intense yeasty character to the maturing fruit that displays interesting phenolic characters, in particular petrol, along with aromas of apple, pear and soft citrus hints. In contrast to the nascent maturity expressed by the nose the flavor profile is still tight and backward with a genuinely gorgeous texture, all wrapped in a strikingly persistent and highly complex finish. For my taste the 2000 Brut is at an inflection point as the nose does offer enough maturity so that it's really quite pretty whereas the palate impression is substantially younger. As such it really just depends on how you prefer your Champagne because I suspect that the nose will be very mature by the time the still very youthful flavors attain their majority. For my taste preferences it would be no vinous crime to begin enjoying this now but be aware that this will age for a very long time. The best approach is probably to buy 6, or even 12, bottles and enjoy them over a longer period of time. 96/now+
A rich, intense nose of fresh bread and biscuits. The palate has clean, citrus fruits with hints of smoke and toasted oak. This is fresh and racy, with precise minerality and zesty lemon fruit. Well balanced, there is good tension between the fruit and the acidity. Whilst this is not a blockbuster Krug, this is clean, long and refreshing as well as being immediately approachable and ready to drink.
Krug's 2000 Brut Vintage is very understated and cool. It boasts gorgeous textural finesse and layers of effortless fruit. This is an especially vibrant, floral Champagne for Krug that impresses for its fine balance and sensual personality. Even better, the 2000 drinks well right out of the gate, unlike 1995 and 1996. A superb, caressing finish laced with green pears, spices, flowers and almonds leaves a lasting impression. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.
