Champagne Krug

Krug was established in 1843 by Joseph Krug, whose vision has defined his family house’s identity ever since. Krug determined to create the finest possible Champagne each and every year, regardless of conditions, released as a ‘Grand Cuvée’ that would go beyond the notion of vintage to create the most generous expression from year to year. It is that wine that continues to act as the flagship of the house, crafted from the 250 different plots and vast library of reserve wines that it now has at its disposal. Each new edition is a blend of at least 120 different components spanning ten different years, fermented – unusually – in small oak barrels and aged in bottle for seven years before release.

The house owns around 30% of the vineyards used, mainly in Ambonnay, Ay, Les Mesnil and Trépail, while the rest of the grapes are provided by up to 100 growers. Though now part of the empire of luxury group LVMH, the house’s figurehead remains Olivier Krug, the sixth generation of the family. The creation of the Krug ID, a six-digit number on the back label of Krug Grand Cuvée and Krug Rosè, allows patrons to access more information about each particular bottle, including its exact make-up and the date it left Krug’s cellars. As well as the rosé, vintage wines are also produced in standout years, while there are two sought-after single-vineyard cuvées – Clos du Mesnil, made entirely from Chardonnay, and Clos d’Ambonnay, made exclusively from Pinot Noir.