Krug

Summary

With an annual production of around 700,000 bottles, Champagne Krug is one of the smaller yet most prestigious houses in Champagne. Since its founding in 1843 by Johann Joseph Krug, the house has stood for uncompromising quality, artisanal precision, and the art of perfect assemblage. Today, Olivier Krug, great-grandson of the founder, leads the traditional champagne house, which is part of the luxury conglomerate LVMH.

The Krug Philosophy

Johann Joseph Krug had a clear vision: to produce the best champagne year after year – regardless of the conditions of a single vintage. To achieve this, he built up extensive stocks of reserve wines from various vineyards and vintages. His cuvées are not vintage products, but artistic compositions of grape varieties, vineyards, and vintages. Krug compared his work to a musical composition, where each wine is an instrument that contributes to the greater whole. He recorded his thoughts in a small red notebook, which is still kept in the family archive today.

Traditional Craftsmanship and Utmost Precision

Krug still stands for classic champagne craftsmanship today. Each vineyard is fermented individually in used 205-litre oak barrels from the Argonne or Eastern France. The wines are not pumped, but decanted solely by gravity and only rarely filtered. As one of the last houses alongside Alfred Gratien, Krug deliberately avoids malolactic fermentation. This preserves the freshness and acidity of the wines and gives them exceptional ageing potential. Today, the reserve wines are stored in stainless steel tanks in Laval – making Krug somewhat fresher, fruitier, and less oxidative than before.

The Art of Assemblage and the Krug Cuvées

The great art at Krug lies in the assemblage. In the first decades, Krug produced no vintage. In the 1920s, the cuvée was changed and introduced as Private Cuvée. From 1978, it has been called Grande Cuvée.

Grande Cuvée

It consists of around 120 base wines from up to 10 vintages. Its aim: to maintain a consistent house style that guarantees the highest quality anew each year. For this, wines from great vintages are also used, which theoretically have the potential for a vintage. Krug has outstanding vineyards and old vines, and many winemakers consider it an honour to supply grapes to Krug – not least because the house pays the highest grape prices in Champagne.

Since 2016, the Grande Cuvée has displayed a number, starting with the 163rd. It is the 163rd edition of the champagne since the founding of the house. Information about each edition can also be obtained by scanning the Krug ID.

To illustrate the diversity of the Grande Cuvée, here is an overview of well-known editions (based on the base year of the harvest, supplemented by typical characteristics and ratings where available):

Earlier editions (before 158) exist but are rarely numbered and are often collector's items (e.g., 155th from the 1990s). The editions reflect the continuous evolution, with each one a unique interpretation of the house style.

Krug Vintage

Only if, after selecting the base wines for the Grande Cuvée, enough barrels remain that reflect the character of a vintage at the highest level does the house decide to produce a vintage. The aim is not to reproduce a uniform drinking experience – as Dom Pérignon strives to do – but to express the character of the respective year as purely and precisely as possible.

For example, the Krug Vintage 2008 reflects the classic structure and acidity of a traditional Krug, while the 2004 vintage appears more elegant and seductive.

The Krug Vintages

1914 Nutty, delicate mousse, pronounced acidity

1919 Very dry, oxidative without being oxidised

1920 In the century year 1921, there is no Krug. 1920 is buttery, very nutty with pronounced acidity

1928 A legend. Still quite bright colour, nutty, rich, firm and younger than 1929.

1929 Lush sweetness, fruit compote, chocolate, walnuts and fir honey.

1932 Still with bubbles. Nutty and very dry.

1934 Still with brioche and pastry notes, walnut in the finish.

1938 Forgotten great vintage. A gigantic champagne. Chocolate, mint, truffle, apricot.

1945 is legendary in Champagne. Krug is almost hard in its minerality.

1949 Elegant with fruity notes and subtle sweetness.

1953 Powerful, intense acidity, undergrowth.

1955 Firmly structured, intense acidity, will become rounder.

1959 Lush, concentrated with apple and vanilla aromas, no hurry.

1961 Bright colour, truffle, nutty roasted notes, hardly any fruit.

1962 Oily, super concentrated, tapering off.

1964 Acidity-forward, apple and vanilla.

1966 Exotic fruit and lots of charm

1969 Acidity-forward and firm.

1971 Honey, strawberries, toffee, harmonious but not so concentrated.

1976 Peach compote and coffee, very ripe and harmonious, but well developed, low acidity.

1979 Perfect harmony, fully developed, great.

1981 Harmonious, fruity, underrated.

1988 The greatest of the "younger" vintages. Perfect and with a future.

1990 The ripe soft style of the year is enhanced by the Krug structure.

1996 Wonderful aromas but the acidity is still too dominant

2000 In this ripe warm year, Krug is still young and promises greatness.

2002 Lush, ripe, concentrated with great charm and lots of fruit.

2004 Elegance pure. Lemon fruit with fine, nutty notes.

2006 Powerful, concentrated and already surprisingly drinkable.

2008 shows its class after many hours of aeration. However, it is not the most charming, fruitiest Krug vintage.

2011 Rather soft and a success for the year.

2013 Lemon pure, very intense acidity. Needs a lot of time.

Krug Through the Ages

Joseph Krug, originally from Mainz, learnt his craft at the renowned house Jacquesson before founding his own brand in Reims in 1843. After his death in 1871, his son Paul Krug I continued the house. Despite world wars and crises, Krug remained a family business – until it became part of the LVMH group in 1999. Under Olivier Krug, the house is experiencing a gentle modernisation today: more fruit, more openness, but still uncompromising quality.

Champagne Krug combines history, craftsmanship, and innovation like hardly any other house. Every bottle is the result of decades of experience, artisanal precision, and a clear vision that has endured for over 180 years.

Discover the world of Champagne Krug – Grande Cuvée, Vintage, and exclusive single-vineyard champagnes now online at Alfavin to buy.