Krug Clos du Mesnil 2004 is a blanc de blancs from a single walled vineyard of Chardonnay in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, made from one harvest only. It is the 18th release from the plot and a cooler-year wine, all tension and citrus, presented in a gift box.
About This Champagne
2004 was a slow year in Champagne. A crisp winter and a chilly spring held temperatures down for a long time, warmth arrived in May, and late-summer sun finished the ripening. The result at Clos du Mesnil was fruit with plenty of freshness and drive. This bottle rested at least 12 years in Krug's cellars and received its cork in autumn 2016, and Krug's own notes speak of purity, tension and balance.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Lemon, barley sugar and dried fruit, with brioche and a chalky, almost smoky edge.
- Palate: Generous and round for such a taut wine, moving from madeleine and pastry into lemon meringue and bitter orange, with a little spice.
- Finish: Firm and persistent, with candied ginger and a salty, stony tension at the end.
Serving & Food
Pour at around 10°C into a tulip or white-wine glass rather than a narrow flute. It is lovely now and will keep developing for many years. Krug pairs it with fish in saffron sauce or zander with beurre blanc; seared scallops and steamed garoupa with ginger also work well.
How to Enjoy
Chardonnay lovers who like precision over richness, and a seafood dinner that deserves a serious white Champagne.
Product Details
House: Krug
Wine: Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut
Vintage: 2004
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Vineyard: Clos du Mesnil, 1.84 hectares, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Volume: 750mL
Presentation: Gift box
About the Maison
Krug is a house built on blending, so Clos du Mesnil began almost by accident. In 1971 Rémi and Henri Krug bought vineyards in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the Côte des Blancs village best known for Chardonnay, and among them was a 1.84-hectare plot in the middle of the village, overlooked by the church and walled since 1698. The idea was simply to secure good Chardonnay for Grande Cuvée.
The fruit kept standing out, and after the 1979 harvest the brothers bottled it alone. That first Clos du Mesnil was shown in 1986. It has been made only in selected years since.