Krug

Krug is a Champagne house and négociant-manipulant producer based in Reims, founded in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug, a butcher's son from Mainz who spent eight years working at Champagne Jacquesson before establishing Krug et Cie with sleeping partner Hyppolite de Vivès. Joseph Krug documented his founding philosophy in a notebook begun in 1848, articulating the vision of crafting the finest Champagne every year regardless of vintage variation. He died in 1866, the same year the house relocated to its current premises on Rue Coquebert in Reims, succeeded by his son Paul. In January 1999 the house was sold by Rémy Cointreau to LVMH for approximately one billion French francs. Olivier Krug, representing the sixth generation, became House Director in 2009, with the Krug family remaining actively involved in key decisions.

• Founded 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug (born Mainz, 1800) with partner Hyppolite de Vivès; founding philosophy documented in a notebook begun in 1848, rediscovered by Olivier Krug in 2010
• Moved to Rue Coquebert, Reims in 1866 (the year of Joseph's death); acquired by LVMH from Rémy Cointreau in January 1999; Olivier Krug, sixth generation, has served as House Director since 2009
• Julie Cavil appointed Chef de Cave in January 2020, the first woman in the role; Eric Lebel remained as Deputy Director after 21 years as Chef de Cave
• In 2024 winemaking operations moved to the new Joseph winery in the village of Ambonnay, adjacent to Clos d'Ambonnay; estate vineyards achieved organic certification the same year

Krug's founding philosophy, articulated by Joseph Krug in 1848, holds that the house should produce the finest Champagne possible every year, regardless of vintage variation, with no hierarchy among its cuvées. Rather than designating a separate prestige cuvée, Krug elevates its non-vintage Grande Cuvée to the highest level of craft through extended aging, a vast reserve wine library, and plot-by-plot vinification. Each vineyard parcel is harvested and fermented separately, preserving its individual character before the Tasting Committee assembles the final blend. Krug is the only major Champagne house to ferment all its wines in small oak barrels, a technique that promotes micro-oxygenation and is central to the house's signature depth and aging potential.

• Founding vision: craft the finest Champagne every year regardless of climate, with no tiered hierarchy; all cuvées are prestige expressions
• Plot-by-plot vinification across 250 sourced parcels preserves individual terroir character before blending; each parcel fermented separately in small oak
• Only major Champagne house fermenting entirely in 205-liter oak barrels; micro-oxygenation during fermentation contributes to Krug's distinctive aging potential
• Reserve wine library of around 150 wines enables consistent house style across difficult vintages while preserving each Edition's individuality

Krug owns approximately 21 hectares of vines, representing around 20 percent of its total grape needs, with the remainder sourced from 70 to 100 long-term grower partners across 250 specifically contracted plots. Vineyard sources span grand and premier cru villages including Ambonnay (the house's primary Pinot Noir source), Aÿ, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Trépail, with some grower contracts dating to 1876. The house's two single-vineyard expressions come from walled plots, known as clos. Clos du Mesnil is a 1.84-hectare Chardonnay plot in the heart of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, with walls dating to 1698, purchased by Henri and Rémi Krug in 1971. Clos d'Ambonnay is a 0.68-hectare Pinot Noir plot on the edge of Ambonnay, with walls dating to 1766, discovered in 1991 and purchased in 1994.

• 21 hectares owned (around 20% of needs); 70 to 100 grower partners supply 65 to 70% of grapes from 250 selected plots; oldest grower contract from 1876
• Key sourcing villages: Ambonnay and Aÿ (Pinot Noir), Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (Chardonnay for Clos du Mesnil), Trépail (Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier)
• Clos du Mesnil: 1.84 hectares, walls since 1698, purchased 1971 in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger; 100% Chardonnay; first vintage 1979
• Clos d'Ambonnay: 0.68 hectares, walls since 1766, purchased 1994 in Ambonnay; 100% Pinot Noir; first vintage 1995, released 2007

Krug ferments every wine in small 205-liter oak barrels from the Argonne forest, reused year after year and maintained with particular care. This makes Krug the only major Champagne house to use this practice for its entire production. The primary purpose is not to impart oak flavor but to allow micro-oxygenation, promoting aromatic precision and building long-term resistance to oxidation. Krug neither suppresses nor deliberately provokes malolactic fermentation, with most wines not undergoing the process. After fermentation, wines are racked to stainless steel before assembly by the Tasting Committee. All Krug Champagnes are bottled in a single annual session 30 weeks after harvest. Minimum aging on lees is six years for Grande Cuvée, five years for Rosé, and ten years for Vintage, Clos du Mesnil, and Clos d'Ambonnay, with an additional year on cork after disgorgement before release. Residual sugar never exceeds 6.5 g/L across the entire range.

• Fermentation exclusively in 205-liter Argonne oak barrels, reused annually; purpose is micro-oxygenation and aromatic precision, not oak flavor extraction
• Malolactic fermentation neither suppressed nor provoked; most wines do not undergo MLF, preserving acidity and mineral freshness
• Single annual bottling session 30 weeks post-harvest; minimum lees aging 6 years (Grande Cuvée), 5 years (Rosé), 10 years (Vintage and single-vineyard), plus 1 year on cork post-disgorgement
• Residual sugar never exceeds 6.5 g/L across all cuvées; after barrel fermentation wines are transferred to stainless steel for the blending and reserve wine process

Krug produces only prestige cuvées. Grande Cuvée, the flagship non-vintage wine, blends 150 to 200 wines from 10 to 15 vintages and has been recreated annually since 1843; Edition numbers were formally added to labels in 2016. Krug Rosé, first released in 1983 from the 1976 harvest by Henri and Rémi Krug, blends multiple vintages with a portion of skin-fermented Pinot Noir and spends a minimum of five years in the cellar. Krug Vintage is produced only in years deemed worthy, spending over 10 years on lees; confirmed vintages include 1988, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2011. Krug Collection is a late-disgorged release of mature Vintage wines offered approximately 25 years after the vintage. The two single-vineyard wines, Clos du Mesnil (Blanc de Blancs) and Clos d'Ambonnay (Blanc de Noirs), are produced only in exceptional years with minimum 10 years aging.

• Grande Cuvée (non-vintage): 150 to 200 wines from 10 to 15 vintages; minimum 6 years lees aging; Edition numbering formally introduced 2016; first Edition based on 2007 harvest is Edition 163
• Krug Rosé (non-vintage): created by Henri and Rémi Krug in the 1970s; first release 1983 (from 1976 harvest); blends three varieties with skin-fermented Pinot Noir; minimum 5 years cellaring; Edition-numbered since 2016
• Krug Vintage: produced only in years meeting the house quality threshold; minimum 10 years lees aging; recent declared vintages include 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011
• Clos du Mesnil (100% Chardonnay, 1.84 ha) and Clos d'Ambonnay (100% Pinot Noir, 0.68 ha): single-vineyard, single-vintage, minimum 10 years aging; produced only in exceptional years; Krug Collection offers late-disgorged mature Vintage wines around 25 years after the harvest

Krug is widely regarded as one of the pinnacle producers in Champagne, prized by wine professionals, sommeliers, and serious collectors for its food compatibility and capacity for long aging. The Grande Cuvée consistently earns scores in the mid-to-high 90s from major critics. Single-vineyard expressions command significant secondary market premiums; Clos d'Ambonnay in particular, with production as low as 3,000 to 4,743 bottles per vintage, is among the rarest and most sought-after Champagnes in the world. The Krug iD system, introduced in 2011, allows consumers to scan a code on the back label and access the exact blend composition, disgorgement date, and other details for every individual bottle. Krug is favored for food pairing across a wide range of cuisines, from oysters and aged cheeses to more complex gastronomic preparations.

• Krug iD system launched 2011 allows consumers to look up individual bottle blend composition, disgorgement date, and other details via QR code or Krug app
• Clos d'Ambonnay among the rarest Champagnes in existence; 1995 and 1996 vintages produced only around 3,000 individually numbered bottles each
• Grande Cuvée consistently scores in the mid-to-high 90s across major publications; Cellar Master Julie Cavil notes a bottle of Grande Cuvée requires 20 to 25 years of cumulative craftsmanship
• Krug Collection offers late-disgorged Vintage Champagnes released approximately 25 years after the harvest, providing a window into mature house style