2003 Krug Brut Magnum 1.5L, Champagne

Tasted this year with Chef de Cave, Eric Lebel, it is exactly the same edition (ID) as tasted in 2016. 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 there. The trademark complexity is here, too, and this freshens with air. The palate is intricately detailed and stitched together like needlework. It is extremely precise and 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 as Krug has proven in other warm years such as '76. Krug ID 115023.

95 points jamessuckling.com

Medium to full, brassy straw colour. Biscuity aromas plus toasted bread and peanut brittle, very complex and mellow. You can smell that it's been fermented in barrels, but it's of course not oaky at all. Big impact on the palate: powerful, intense and weighty - wthout being heavy or clumsy. The signature Krug body and volume are there in abundance. As is the bone-dry but smooth palate and finish. Very long carry and superb line. A magnificent Champagne, and I don't sense the super-hot year at all. 20 APR 2014

96 points Huon Hooke therealreview.com