The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's 50 best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
Uutiset
100 points James Suckling
The much-anticipated 2002 has impeccable detail and depth with a lot of chalky, stony and flinty elements on the nose as well as a very fresh edge. The nose is very complex and wound up tight but presents itself as very integrated and compressed. There are aromas of lemon rind, lime juice and a lime custard all at once, complemented in turn by a super-restrained hazelnut-like edge. Undertones of brown mushrooms, chalky minerals and lemon leaf. The palate has a core of sizzlingly intense, concentrated chardonnay framed whitin a powerful phenolic structure that will underpin the future of this Champagne. Flawlessly fresh and as perfect as it gets. Give this time as it needs to settle: best from 2020 and then for another decade beyond.
100 points Wine Enthusiast
This is a fabulous wine from the greatest Champagne vintage so far this century. Still young, it blends almost equal amounts of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fleshed out with Pinot Meunier. The minerality and the rich apple and green fruits are balanced, and acidity cuts into the wine with a pure, perfumed line of freshness. The wine could be drunk now, but it will age well into the the 2020s. *2016 100 Cellar Selection No. 1* (RV)
99 points Decanter
Without question one of the most perfect vintages in Champagne, in which Krug has once again excelled. Released after the 2003 (as with the '89 and '88), this is a sumptuously magnificent 2002 which manages to eloquently express both the vintage and the maison’s unique savoir-faire. To my palate, this majestic effort is drinking exquisitely now, but will keep and improve for many more years. It is dense, exotic and powerful, underpinned and framed by a firm spine of acidity. There are so many hedonistic sensations to tease the supply textured palate, including honey, roasted almonds, cream, minerals, stone fruits and hazelnuts. Superbly constructed, this is a symphony of flavours that linger effortlessly on the palate for minutes, it is pure pleasure. Sixteen years on, this is just hitting its stride. (JS)
97 points Allen Meadows - Burghound
There is a distinctly phenolic character to the secondary-tinged yet super-fresh nose reflects notes of bread, yeast, pear, baked apple, spice and a hint of citrus. The bold and full-bodied flavors possess superb complexity while being underpinned by a notably fine but dense mousse, all wrapped in a gorgeously persistent finish. This is a seriously impressive effort and one of the best of the Krug Brut vintage series released in many years. Note that while this should continue to age effortlessly, it could certainly be enjoyed now. (1/2018)
97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Krug's 2002 Brut (ID 415064 – disgorged IV/2015) has an intense citrus color and opens with a generous, intense yet fine and precise bouquet that indicates great depth and elegance. Red fruit flavors on the nose lead to a generously rich yet pure, highly refined and elegant palate, with lots of ripe cherry fruits and delicious yeasty flavors. This is a highly complex and tensioned but beautifully balanced 2002 with a charming dosage that gives perfect roundness. The finish, however, is clear, fresh and well-structured, if not taut, and very mineral. Tasted in Reims in April 2018. (SR) 97+
96 points Wine Spectator
Beautifully aromatic, this leads with aromas of ground clove, coffee liqueur and mandarin orange peel, adding crystallized honey, dried cherry, acacia blossom and toasted brioche notes on the expansive palate. Rich in flavor and broad in structure, with verve driving this through to the long, satiny finish.
Jancis Robinson
Tasted blind. Relatively vague, indistinct smudgy nose. But there is lots of evolution. Is this a relatively mature vintage wine? Long and well balanced. Very satisfying and extremely long. Is this vintage 2002? It does stand out. A favourite. 19.5/20 points (JR)
Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
Unique to the House of Krug, every Krug Vintage is crafted to be different, to reveal the expression of a particular year. A year with character, a year with a special story to tell in a way that Krug alone can relate. To narrate this story, Krug has blended very expressive wines from a single year, enhanced by a stay of over ten years in the cellars. Krug Vintage is the story of a year as seen by Krug; there are as many stories as there are Krug Vintages.
Wine Information
At the House of Krug every Krug Vintage is crafted to be different. Every Krug Vintage reveals the expression of a particular year with its distinct character : it is the music of the year as captured by Krug.
It is a blend of very expressive wines from a single year enhanced by a stay of over ten years in the cellars. There are as many of these musical compositions as there are Krug Vintages. The year 2002 offered a clement and generous climate, consistently warm, relatively dry, granting the ideal conditions for grape maturation.As the grapes arrived at the press, they were in excellent and robust health. The 2002 harvest for Krug was marked by great homogeneity and superb balance.
The House did not hesitate to create Krug 2002, naming it Ode to Nature to express the music of an extremely serene and generous year with perfect conditions for highly-expressive wines centred around fruit of all types with a beautiful structure, great intensity and elegance. Krug 2002 is a blend of selected wines of the year from many different plots, marked by its undeniably profound fruity character. It is a balanced dialogue between Pinot Noir (40%) and Chardonnays (39%) with Meunier (21%). The elegance of Krug 2002 comes after 13 years in the cellars gaining in harmony and finesse.
Vuosikerta 2002
A cold winter and a mild late spring cued for a perfect June allowing early and fast flowering. Outstanding weather conditions prevailed and the season went on without dramatic turns. Rains in August raised concerns regarding gray rot, but finally sunshine and dry conditions throughout September resulted in an abundant crop of largely healthy fruit (11,930 kg/ha). Dehydration due to wind further aided in achieving perfect ripeness and additional concentration. This, and the cool nights, helped in retaining fresh acidity and, despite the ripeness (10.3% potential alcohol), the wines did not suffer from heaviness or a lack of life. A near-perfect vintage, which produced balanced Champagnes consistently around the region. The best show an impeccable combination of freshness, power, structure and finesse. However, some have matured aromatically quicker than expected and are already past their peak. 2002 produced an abundance of spectacular champagnes, such as Dom Pérignon (the entire range), Krug Vintage and Clos du Mesnil, Piper-Heidsieck Rare, Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Ruinart Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Rosé, Salon Le Mesnil and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, to name a few.
