Krug Brut Champagne 2011

100 points The Tasting Panel: "Especially given the difficulties of the vintage, this blend of 46% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, and 27% Meunier is a triumph: at once majestic and incredibly soulful. Aromas of hazelnut praline, light-roasted coffee, truffle, and potpourri entrance as they enhance the golden apple and pear at the core of both nose and palate, where gorgeous, sweeping, lemony acidity hones an almost brown-buttery roundness amid hints of Brazil nut, jellied tangerine, and pink peppercorn. Chalky, yeasty, and zesty by turns, the finish is near-endless. (May/Jun 2025)"

98 points James Suckling: "It shows reserved character but with a lot of energy and tension. Concentrated citrus fruit, candied lemons and mandarin peel with hints of savory herbs and spices. Notes of brioche and caraway seeds. Full-bodied, complex and nervy on the palate. It has fine, silky bubbles yet it’s structured and firm with a lot of power. It builds up on the finish with freshness and vibrancy. Drink or hold. (5/9/24)"

97 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "Because 2011 was a challenging vintage for Champagne, it would be very easy to over-generalize, as many readers may have had less than ideal experiences elsewhere. But Krug’s 2011 Champagne Millesime Brut is not your average Champagne. With a rounded nose, it pours a medium golden straw hue and is creamy with aromas of orange blossoms, custard, fresh pear, hazelnut, and delicate smoky incense. Medium to full-bodied and refined on the palate, it has a rounded and pristine profile, with ripe, balanced fruit floating through the palate, a pinpoint mousse, and a delicate hint of almond skin on the finish that I would expect to become more pronounced with age. Following the more tension-driven vintage of 2008, which was characterized by a more high-toned and lemon-tinged profile, this wine will be accessible sooner (probably also the case for the future release of 2012) and will undoubtedly provide an open window for drinking over the coming 15 to 20 years. Drink 2028-2048. Krug ID: 322038. Drink: 2028-2048. (2/28/24)"

97 points Wine Spectator: "[$470 list] There's an exuberant appeal to this vivid, fragrant Champagne, with wafts of lime blossoms, cardamom, ground coffee and anise aromatics finely layered with flavors of crushed black cherry, glazed tangerine and grilled nut that show a streak of salinity. Yet this reveals its true class with the deft integration of rich flavors with chiseled acidity and refined, plush texture. Long and seamless, this is not just a catchy tune but a maestro conducting a symphony. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Disgorged summer 2022 (Krug ID 322038). Drink now through 2040. (9/25/24)"

97 points Gault & Millau: "Aromas of vine peach and fresh bread crust contribute to an opulent, generous nose that retains a touch of mystery. Powerful, the palate is restrained like a thoroughbred kept short. Ripe fruit, insolent aromas of bitter orange, in a material as luminous as ancient gold from the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. You can't stop savoring each sip, which brings its share of new aromas. Quite superb today, but will need many years to reveal its full potential. (Jan 2025)"

96 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2011 vintage of Krug will be released at the start of the spring, and not surprisingly, it is a brilliant young wine. The final blend of this vintage is forty-six percent pinot noir, thirty-seven percent chardonnay and seventeen percent pinot meunier. The wine was disgorged in the summer of 2022. It offers up a beautifully expressive bouquet of apple, pear, fresh apricot, salty soil tones, caraway seed, almond, brioche, dried flowers and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with lovely generosity of chardonnay fruit on the attack, a fine core, lovely soil signature, elegant mousse and a long, poised and seamlessly balanced finish. There is a lovely undercarriage of structure in this wine and it will be interesting to follow it in the bottle and see if it closes down for a bit of hibernation, or if it always drinks with the lovely generosity that it is showing right out of the blocks. Though the wine is wide open in personality right now, I would still be inclined to at least tuck it away in the cellar for a half dozen years or so, just to allow some of its secondary layers of complexity to float to the surface. A fine, fine Vintage Krug. 2030-2085+. (Mar/Apr 2024)"

96 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(46% pinot noir, 37% chardonnay, 17% meunier; aged 12 years on lees; ID 322038; disgorged summer 2022; slightly smaller than the usual production; dubbed by the house ‘rondeur ciselée’ spirited roundness). Krug is masterful in toning the more extreme seasons, as it was in 2003, and again now in 2011. The tough seasons define the greatest estates and Krug has proven itself again. A bright straw hue with a hint of gold, this is a Krug that encapsulates the full universe of expansive character of 12 years of lees age in layers of dried peach, glacé fig, vanilla cream and brioche, even nuances of crème brûlée. The secret to 2011 was achieving full ripeness, and Krug delivers succulent expansiveness of white nectarine and fig, tensioned with the magic tang of grapefruit and lemon zest. 2011 brings its own personality that hints at lime and fennel, with a little phenolic grip true to the season, yet expressed here with energy, purity and longevity. Its integrity and calibre are confirmed on a finish that traces impressive line and length, with magnificent control and focus defined by magic tension. A Krug vintage ready to drink now and over the next 15 years, while the 2008 rests in the cellar. (Edition VII; 2024)"

95 points Yohan Castaing (Wine Advocate): "The 2011 Krug is a singular, distinctive vintage at this address. Revealing aromas of lemon, confit citrus, dried herbs, hazelnuts, pear and ripe orchard fruits mingled with spices, it's medium to full-bodied, round and dense, with a phenolic, singular entry and a structured, almost tannic but elegant mid-palate framed by a fleshy core of fruit. It has a pinpoint mousse and a long, mineral and saline finish enhanced by a lot of chalky dry extracts. Compared to previous vintages, which were tauter and more incisive, this rendition is more austere, aging gracefully into a Champagne of understated elegance and revealed austerity. Drink: 2024-2044. (10/24/24)"

93-95 points Essi Avellan, MW: "(46% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, 17% Meunier). Not many producers released a 2011, but Krug found a story to the year that they wanted to tell. It was a difficult and unpredictable harvest year with ripeness issues. The resulting wine remains restrained with an enticing delicacy to it that combines both fresh and candied fruit. Floral fragrance, white peaches, dried apricots, herbaceous whiffs and earthy-savoury tones. The stylish oaky note stays in fine sync with the reserved fruitiness. Rather light-weight and chiseling on the palate for Krug, it comes across airy and vibrant. Post-disgorgement ageing will add on gravitas and sweet fruity charm over mid-term ageing. Krug ID 322038 tasted. (Mar 2024)"

94 points Natalie Earl (Decanter): "A floral expression, bright and fairly dainty. It's taut and youthful, with a rounded and lightly chewy texture, finishing lean but still succulent and hyper fresh. A changeable vintage which saw the vines flower three weeks earlier than usual, with cool and wet weather thereafter, followed by intense heat then heavy rainfall. Drinking Window: 2024-2035. (4/24/24)"

94 points La Revue du Vin de France: "The 2011 vintage completely avoids earthy and rooty notes, with a fairly rich nose of frangipane, dried fruit, and nuts. The palate is much more dynamic, in keeping with the house style, with a patina that is already in place. While it may not have the length of the greatest vintages, it is a very fine wine, already accessible and open today, undeniably one of the best in this complicated vintage. (2026)"

93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2011 Vintage is a very pretty wine in this highly challenging vintage. Apricot, mint, dried herbs and a kiss of French oak open nicely in the glass. There is some of the savory character of 2011, but it is nicely woven into the wine’s fabric. To be sure, the 2011 is a slender vintage at Krug. That is especially evident in the wine's light-ish mid-palate and overall feel, yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. I expect the 2011 to be a relatively early maturing Vintage and would not push my luck on aging. Disgorged: Summer 2022. Krug ID: 322038. Drink: 2024-2036. (Mar 2024)"