The Krug Way ... Craftsmanship

Individuality

Parcels of vines in the Champagne region

Central to Krug’s craftsmanship is the notion of individuality. It is the art of transforming the berries harvested from each plot into a separate wine, of which the character and originality are respected throughout its evolution, up until the moment that the blending decision is made.

Every year, our Krug Tasting Committee tastes around 400 such individualities including 250 wines of the year and 150 reserve wine from around 15 previous years. While each embodies the essence of a single plot, together they capture the diversity of Champagne’s terroir and its three main grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay. Only by tasting and appraising the unique character of these individualities, and the nuances that distinguish them, can we create a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée, the most generous expression of Champagne.

Part 1
Julie Cavil, Krug Cellar Master
“Our obsession is to preserve the origin and character of each plot, through its wine.”

JULIE CAVIL

Krug Cellar Master

Barrells at the Joseph Winery

OAK BARRELS AND INDIVIDUALITY

To best preserve the unique richness and expression of each plot before blending, Maison Krug keeps intervention to a minimum during winemaking. To guarantee the flexibility needed for our “one plot, one wine” approach, which can sometimes involve plots no bigger than a small garden, our wines are born, or fermented, in small old oak barrels. 

Within these barrels, which are neutral and thus do not impact the flavour of the wines, clarification is natural and malolactic fermentation never provoked, but if happens naturally, it is not interrupted. The wines are then naturally clarified by gravity through traditional racking and then kept on the lees in small stainless-steel tanks until they can be tasted and appraised.

Part 2

Epitomising Our Approach to Individuality

THE CLOS

Krug Clos du Mesnil and Krug Clos d’Ambonnay epitomise our singular approach. Both champagnes are about precision; each is crafted from a single walled plot, a single grape variety and a single year: they are the soloists of Krug.

One of the keys to obtaining the purity of the fruit at its peak expression lies in the extreme care we take in determining the harvest dates. This is the case both in our own vineyards and in the plots belonging to the members of the Krug Growers' Circle, with whom the harvest dates are decided hand in hand during berry tastings.

The Clos du Mesnil vineyard

The Story of the Clos du Mesnil

In 1971, Rémi and Henri Krug, 5th generation of the Krug family secured vineyards in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, renowned for Chardonnay, including a 1.84 ha walled plot in the heart of the village. Etched into its stone wall is the following inscription: “In the year 1698, this wall was built by Claude Jannin and Pierre Dehée Metoen and in the same year the vines were planted by Gaspard Jannin, son of Claude.”

While initially intended to ensure a high-quality Chardonnay for Krug Grande Cuvée, upon tastings, the grapes of this tiny vineyard in the village centre consistently exhibited an exceptionally pure and precise character. Perhaps due to the warmer micro-climate created when the village was built around this little plot centuries ago, or to the men who built those walls back in 1698 knowing something we do not, the fact remained: the wines of Krug’s Clos du Mesnil stood out in the Tasting Room, time and again.

In 1979, the Krug brothers decided to make a champagne created exclusively from grapes of this Clos and a single year. Krug Clos du Mesnil 1979 was born at a time when the convention in Champagne was concentrated on blending to create cuvées.

Since then, Krug Clos du Mesnil has only been created on years when the Tasting Committee determines the climate reveals the purest expression of Chardonnay. Their assessment is made annually over a period of six months. During blind tastings, they become acquainted with all the plots’ wines of the recent harvest, including Clos du Mesnil. Completely unbiased, this step enables them to decide if a Krug Clos du Mesnil will be created or whether this wine would be best suited to add character and freshness to the blends of the new Éditions of Krug Grande Cuvée or Krug Rosé. 

Discover Krug Clos du Mesnil

The Clos d'Ambonnay vineyard

The Story of the Clos d'Ambonnay

After Krug Clos du Mesnil, Rémi and Henri Krug decided to pay tribute to the depth and intensity of Pinot Noir grapes. They looked to Ambonnay, a village famous for its outstanding Pinot Noir. A seven-year quest for the ideal expression of the terroir led them to discover the Clos d’Ambonnay in 1991. This 0.68-hectare plot, situated on the edge of the village, on the south-eastern slope of the Montagne de Reims, has been surrounded by protective walls since 1766. 

Created in utmost secrecy, the Maison presented the first champagne from this single plot and year, Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1995, in 2007. 

Discover Krug Clos d'Ambonnay

Part 3
Eco grazing

Cultivating Individualities, Caring for the Environment

Our Sustainability Engagements

Born over 180 years ago from a vision of uncompromising quality and respect for craftsmanship, viticulture and terroir, Krug vows to ensure its continuity for the centuries to come. Only with a total commitment to sustainability through the protection of and respect for nature is this possible.

We strive, with our teams and partners, to adopt a global approach: from upstream to downstream, from the vineyard to glass. Sustainable and eco-friendly practices are a state of mind that factors into everything we do. We are always on the move, in a constant process of questioning the norms and the pursuit of continuous improvement, driven by curiosity, humility and necessity. 

The application of this philosophy in viticulture means that 100% of Krug’s raw materials are produced according to the highest standards of excellence and respect for the environment, whether from Maison vines or grower members of the Cercle des Vignerons Krug community, the Krug Growers’ Circle. 

A hand touching a bunch of grapes in a vineyard

Sustainable viticulture at Krug begins with no herbicide or insecticide*, the utilisation of organic fertiliser only, and of copper sulphate. To limit erosion, inter-rows are never left bare during the vine’s dormant period, cover crops and compost infusions are tested every year, and biodiversity audits by ecologists have helped us build hedges and adapt new plantings.

Since 2004, Krug has achieved ISO 14001, ISO 22000 & FSSC, ISO 50001 and ISO 9001 certifications for environmental management standards, food safety, quality and energy management. Joseph, our new winemaking site, is certified HEQ with a rating of “exceptional”.

Throughout every link in the chain, this culture remains. Air transport at Krug is forbidden – its use is in extreme cases only. The Maison is fully committed to reducing emissions and the use of limited resources: the new Joseph site consumes less water than the historical site and zero fossil energy. All waste is sorted and reused for energy. Additionally, the Maison has created a 100% recyclable giftbox which requires less energy to produce and avoids overproduction and waste, as it fits the majority of our champagnes. 

*Except for plots subject to compulsory management of Flavescence Dorée

Portrait of Krug's Tasting Committee member Isabelle Bui
“For Krug, sustainability means ensuring the best possible conditions for future generations: for the excellence of our champagnes, for the people who create and enjoy them, as well as for the environment, which surrounds and sustains us. We are in a process of continuous improvement, adapting our practices to preserve our heritage for future generations. Sustainable development is a mindset that permeates everything we do.”

ISABELLE BUI

Winemaking Development Manager & Member of Krug's Tasting Committee

Krug Growers' Collective

Cultivating an Engaged Community

The Krug Growers’ Circle

Since the Champagne region began making wine centuries ago, the vast majority of vineyards have been owned by independent growers rather than the wineries themselves, which means that many Champagne Houses rely on them for grape supply. For Maison Krug, nurturing our relationship with the growers has always been a priority. Our oldest active contract dates to 1876, and 100% of our engagements apply to specific plots.

Understanding their contribution and the richness offered by their diversity, Krug has united a collective of growers from all over the Champagne region. The goal of our Krug Growers’ Circle, as we call it, is to build a community, increase proximity and support growers in their ecological transitions to Sustainable Viticulture certifications, through the sharing of best practices, technical accompaniment and financial incentives. The latter includes a commitment on our behalf to reward better environmental practices even if they result in a lower yield. Today, the Krug Growers’ Circle includes around a hundred members, from across the Champagne region.

Throughout the season, Krug’s Tasting Committee works closely with Krug Growers’ Circle members to observe the the terroirs, follow viticulture decisions, provide training and decide together the optimal harvest date. And every year, when the year’s base wines have been created, our growers are invited to taste the wines from their own plots with our Tasting Committee at the Krug Family House. In this way, they can taste the result of their work, have feedback on their decisions during the growing season, and finetune their strategy for the years to come in a virtuous circle beneficial to all.   

Portrait of Krug's Tasting Committee member Jérôme Jacoillot
“This committed community shares the values of the Maison, a love for the vines, and a desire to see them express themselves at their highest level. Together, we learn to cultivate their differences. Creating, each year, a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée is a way for us to pay tribute to our beloved Champagne region, and to the diversity of its terroirs and its winegrowers.”

JÉROME JACOILLOT

Vine and Wine Manager & Member of Krug's Tasting Committee

Portrait of Krug's Tasting Committee member Soline Bérêche
“Training, transmission, sharing and tasting: all these elements forge the connection that unites us with growers.”

SOLINE BÉRÊCHE

Viticulture Expert in Charge of Grower Relations & Member of Krug's Tasting Committee

Welcome to

THE WORLD OF KRUG

Title:

The Art of Blending

Content:
In the months following the harvest, our Tasting Committee tastes and appraises some 400 wines, recording around 5,000 tasting notes.
Bottles being riddled by hand in the Krug Cellar
Title:

Patience

Content:
For Maison Krug, time is not a constraint but a strength and constant ally. It takes more than 20 years to craft a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée, the most generous expression of Champagne.
A bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée and two glasses
Title:

Krug Grande Cuvée

Content:
Krug Grande Cuvée is born from the dream Joseph Krug to craft the very best champagne he could offer, every year, regardless of annual variations in climate.

Each year, Maison Krug honours his vision with a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée: the most generous expression of Champagne.