Champagne Krug – Heritage, Craftsmanship & Timeless Excellence
With an annual production of around 700,000 bottles, Champagne Krug is one of the smaller yet most prestigious Champagne houses. Founded in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug, the maison has become a global symbol of uncompromising quality, artisanal precision, and the art of fine Champagne blending. Today, Olivier Krug, the founder’s great-great-grandson, leads this historic house, which is now part of the luxury group LVMH.
The Krug Philosophy
Johann Joseph Krug had a clear vision: to craft the best Champagne every single year, regardless of vintage conditions. To achieve this, he built extensive reserves of wines from different plots and harvests. His Champagnes are not vintage expressions, but masterful compositions of grape varieties, terroirs, and years. Krug compared his work to a musical symphony, where each wine acts as an instrument contributing to a harmonious whole. He recorded his philosophy in a small red notebook – still preserved today in the family archives.
Traditional Craftsmanship and Precision
Champagne Krug continues to uphold traditional winemaking craftsmanship. Each plot is vinified separately in used 205-litre oak barrels from the Argonne or eastern France. The wines are never pumped, but moved twice using gravity and only rarely filtered. As one of the few houses alongside Alfred Gratien, Krug still avoids malolactic fermentation to preserve the natural freshness and acidity, resulting in Champagnes with remarkable ageing potential. Today, reserve wines are stored in stainless-steel tanks in Laval, giving modern Krug a slightly fresher and less oxidative style while maintaining its signature depth.
The Art of the Assemblage and the Krug Cuvées
The essence of Krug’s mastery lies in the art of assemblage. In its early decades, Krug produced no vintage Champagne. In the 1920s, the house introduced its Private Cuvée, which in 1978 was renamed Grande Cuvée.
Grande Cuvée
Each release is crafted from around 120 base wines spanning up to 10 vintages. The goal: to preserve a consistent house style that represents Krug’s ultimate expression of harmony and quality year after year. Even outstanding base wines from exceptional harvests may be used in the Grande Cuvée instead of being declared as vintage. Krug works with exceptional vineyards and old vines, and growers consider it an honour to supply grapes to Krug — a house known for paying the highest grape prices in the Champagne region.
Since 2016, each Krug Grande Cuvée carries a numbered edition, starting with the 163ème Édition — the 163rd recreation since the founding of the house. Details about each edition can also be found by scanning the unique Krug ID.
Krug Vintage Champagne
Only when, after blending the Grande Cuvée, enough barrels remain that truly express the unique identity of a particular year does the house decide to craft a Krug Vintage. The goal is not to reproduce a uniform taste experience — as pursued by houses like Dom Pérignon — but to reflect the essence of that year as purely and precisely as possible.
For example, the Krug Vintage 2008 embodies the classical structure and acidity typical of traditional Krug style, while the 2004 vintage shows a more elegant and seductive character.
Krug Through the Ages
Joseph Krug, originally from Mainz, Germany, learned his craft at the renowned Champagne house Jacquesson before founding his own maison in Reims in 1843. After his death in 1871, his son Paul Krug I continued the legacy. Despite wars and economic crises, Krug remained a family business until it became part of the LVMH Group in 1999. Under Olivier Krug, the house continues to evolve — offering a slightly fruitier, more open style while maintaining its uncompromising standards of quality and authenticity.
Champagne Krug stands as a rare union of history, craftsmanship, and innovation. Every bottle reflects decades of experience, meticulous artistry, and a clear vision that has remained unchanged for more than 180 years.
Discover the world of Champagne Krug – explore Krug Grande Cuvée, Krug Vintage Champagne, and exclusive limited editions. Buy Krug Champagne online from the curated Alfavin collection.
