THE WALL OF 400 WINES:
A UNIQUE COLLABORATION
The House of Krug partnered with the IRCAM —French Institute for Acoustic and Musical Research — to create an immersive auditory experience, illustrating the concept of individuality in music.
Over the course of a year, Former Krug Cellar Master and Deputy Director of the House, Éric Lebel, IRCAM researchers and Composer Roque Rivas created 10 soundscapes to encapsulate the most striking individual characteristics of wines hosted by the Winemaking team and used in Krug Champagne creations.
At Krug, each individual plot of vines, through its wine, is considered to be a fine musician, contributing its own individual character to a Krug Champagne. Every year, Krug’s Cellar Master Julie Cavil and the Tasting Committee begin the creation process with a series of sessions during which they taste over 400 wines, including around 250 wines of the year and 150 reserve wines from at least 10 different years, each of them from a single plot. In this way, each of the 400 wines can be appraised before any blending decision is made.
Working like a Music conductor before directing an orchestral performance, every year Julie Cavil auditions 400 musicians. She is not after the best, most talented or loudest but is rather getting to know the voice of each – its particular character, level of freshness, intensity, roundness and depth, – all crucial to the creation of the final Music piece.
The Wall of 400 Wines experience conveys the craftsmanship of Krug’s winemaking team when they practice the art of blending. Each of the soundscapes is like a group of musicians who plays in the orchestra that will become the symphony of Krug Grande Cuvée, the most generous expression of Champagne.
It is now possible to be immersed in these soundscapes remotely. This selection will give you an idea of the breadth and variety of the 400 wines, as well as demonstrate the unique contribution that each can bring to the final blend.
