Producer Profile
Krug
Krug Champagne was founded in 1843 by Joseph Krug in Reims. He was a visionary with an uncompromising philosophy: to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, every single year regardless of annual climate variations. Paying close attention to the character of the vineyard, respecting the individuality of each plot, as well as building an extensive library of reserve wines allowed Joseph Krug to achieve this dream.
Eventually, Joseph was succeeded by his son Paul. Under his supervision, the House was established as a grande marque.
By the 1880s, the prestige of Krug was acknowledged by the United Kingdom, and ultimately the overseas market. Now, six generations of the Krug family have continued the high standards set by Joseph.
Krug utilizes all three Champagne varieties in their wines, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, and Pinot Meunier. For their two single vineyard vintages, Krug Clos du Mesnil is made in the Blanc de Blancs style, completely from Chardonnay, while Krug Clos d'Ambonnay is made exclusively from Pinot noir.
The winemaking process at Krug begins with the individual selection of each plot of vines and continues with the initial vinification of the grapes from each plot in wooden casks, which – unlike tanks – are small enough to give the House the flexibility to hold a single plot's wine and therefore avoid pre-mature blending.
In the event that a plot's wine is not up to the required level, it will leave the house as a bulk, never again to be labelled a Krug base wine.
Over a period of five months in autumn and winter, the base wines and the reserve wines are tasted by the members of the tasting committee, composed of five permanent members (Olivier Krug, representing the sixth generation of the Krug family; Eric Lebel, Krug cellar master and winemaker; Julie Cavil and Raphaele Leon-Grillon, who make up the Krug winemaking team; and Laurent Halbin, head of winemaking operations) and two members present according to their availability (Rémi and Maggie Henriquez, President and CEO of Krug). During these tastings, each plot is tasted several times and scored out of 20.
