Krug Champagne (Winemaking, Best Wines, Prices 2024)
Want to add a bottle of Krug Champagne to your collection?
The Krug Grand Cuvée is often considered the world’s best non vintage Champagne, highly sought-after by wine connoisseurs and collectors.
Krug is also the creator of two of the finest single-vineyard Champagnes in the world — Krug Clos d’Ambonnay and Krug Clos du Mesnil.
Why are these Champagnes so sought-after? How are they made?
We’ll explore all about the House of Krug in this article — its grapes and vineyards, its unique winemaking, the Champagnes styles, food pairing, and the best way to invest in Krug Champagne in 2024.
Further reading
- Discover the best ways to Invest in the Finest Investment-Grade Wines in this in-depth guide.
- Check out the Luxurious Armand de Brignac Champagne. Or discover the secrets of the Iconic Moet Champagne.
The Illustrious House of Krug
Johann Joseph Krug learned his trade at Champagne Jacquesson for nine years before setting up his own Champagne house in 1843. He founded the House of Krug in the city of Reims, Champagne, France.
In his personal notebook, he wrote:
“In principle, a good Champagne House ought to make two Champagnes of the same quality. Champagne Number 1: this composition should be altered every year to re-create the most generous expression of Champagne. Champagne Number 2: … the Champagne of circumstances.”
Joseph Krug then set out to craft a Champagne that no one else had — one that could be offered every year with the same level of distinction, regardless of annual climate variations. This is how the famous Krug Grand Cuvée came to be.
Today, Krug is majority-owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton - part of the stellar LVMH stable of wine brands that boasts names such as Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Ruinart.
However, the Krug family maintains a degree of autonomy and continues to be actively involved in key decisions of the House.
(Fun fact: This Krug isn’t the same as Torey Krug of the Stanley Cup fame - the American ice hockey defenseman whose entire career best was the 12 goals and 27 assists he scored at the 2014–’15 Boston Bruins season!)
Also read:
- Delve into the world of exquisite Champagnes and sparkling wine with this illuminating guide.
- Turn your wine into a refreshing Mimosa, fruity Sangria, or classy Creme de Cassis based Kir Royale! Uncover more champagne cocktails for any occasion!
Now let’s see what grapes lie at the heart of Krug Champagne.
The Grapes and Vineyards of Krug
All three Champagne varieties are utilized in Krug wines — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
Krug owns 30% of the vineyards that produce their wines. The rest of their grapes are sourced from long-term contract grape growers, totaling 250 individual cru plots in the Champagne region.
Their two single-vineyard vintages come from Clos du Mesnil and Clos d’Ambonnay.
A. Clos du Mesnil Vineyard
In 1971, Remi and Henri Krug purchased 6 hectares of vines in the village of Mesnil-sur-Oger. They discovered the walled Clos du Mesnil when visiting their new vineyard.
Clos du Mesnil is 1.84-hectare in size and grows Chardonnay. Year after year, the wines from this tiny plot have been consistently unique and beautiful — which is why the Krug brothers eventually created the vintage Clos du Mesnil Champagne.
B. Clos d’Ambonnay Vineyard
After Clos du Mesnil, Remi and Henri Krug decided they needed to pay tribute to the Pinot Noir grape as well. They bought the walled Clos d’Ambonnay in 1991, a 0.68-hectare plot on the slopes of Montagne de Reims.
Krug Clos d’Ambonnay comes from the Pinot Noir grown at this rare gem of a vineyard.
Winemaking at Krug
Joseph Krug’s vision was to transcend the idea of vintage. He began building a collection of reserve wines, a practice that has continued to be the standard at Krug over the years.
All wines at Krug are fermented in small 205-liter oak casks. Grapes from each cru are vinified separately into base wines, with no malolactic fermentation, and two rackings are done by gravity. Reserve wines are placed in stainless-steel tanks.
The Cellar Master (chef de caves) identifies which wines from single plots can enhance the year’s creations, and which can be kept as reserves. Long-standing Cellar Master Eric Lebel passed on the baton to Julie Cavil in 2020.
Today, Krug has 150 reserve wines from 12 different years and 250 wines of the year. This totals 400 wines available for the final blend of a new Champagne every year, each an expression of an individual plot.
Like the colors on a palette, using wines from several vintages allows the winemaker to create an exceptional richness of taste in Krug Champagnes.
Further reading:
Looking for sweet, aromatic wine? Try delicious Riesling wines or a zippy Zinfandel.
Let’s explore Krug’s expressive wines.
Luxurious Bottles of Krug Champagne to Buy in 2024
Krug makes six styles of wines, with the non-vintage Grand Cuvée being its most well-known offering. There is also the Rosé, Krug Vintage, Krug Collection, Krug Clos du Mesnil, and Krug Clos d’Ambonnay.
Below are the six wine styles and our handpicked list of best wines to buy in 2024.
1. Krug Grande Cuvée
The Krug Grand Cuvée is a brut Champagne blend of over 120 base wines from at least 10 different vintages, with some up to 15 years old. These create distinct flavors and aromas for each yearly edition.
The Krug Grande Cuvée was known as the Private Cuvée before 1978. Krug also changed the bottle shape of its wines in 1978 to the current, recognizable narrow-necked bottle.
Try out these Grande Cuvées:
- Krug Grande Cuvée 168eme Edition Brut (Price: $190+)
This unique Champagne composes of 42% reserve wines. Experience the aroma of blooming flowers, and flavors of hazelnut, nougat, almonds, and honey.
- Krug Grande Cuvée 160 eme Edition Brut (Price: $400+)
This prestige cuvée displays a floral character with dried and citrus fruits, marzipan, and brioche notes.
- 1964 Krug Private Cuvée (Price: $1,950+)
This aged brut Champagne displays elegance and energy with aromas and flavors of toasted nuts and dried tangerine.
2. Krug Rosé
The Krug Rosé is the House’s only other non vintage wine apart from the Grand Cuvée. Its subtle pink color comes from skin-contact fermentation of Pinot Noir.
- Krug Brut Rosé (Price: $330+)
It’s tasting notes describe aromas of rosehip, mulberries, pepper, and pink grapefruit.
3. Krug Vintage
Krug Vintage is a blend of wines from a single year. The blend is aged for another 10 years in Krug’s cellars to allow it to develop its most generous expression.
Get hold of these Krug vintages:
- 1988 Krug Vintage Brut (Price: $940+)
Then 1988 vintage has an exotic nose of white fruits, truffle, and spices.
- 1996 Krug Vintage Brut (Price: $570+)
The 1996 is the last vintage created by three generations of Krug — Paul II, Henri, Remi, and Olivier. It displays a firm texture with full, ripe flavors of pear, candied lemon, honey, and hints of mocha.
4. Krug Collection
Krug Collection consists of vintage wines that have been kept under perfect conditions in the Krug cellars several years after bottling.
They’re tasted frequently until they have reached a new peak of drinkability. They’re then disgorged and sold as a second revelation, offering a new, unique taste of a particular vintage.
Experience the second revelation with these bottles:
- 1982 Krug Collection Brut (Price: $1,740+)
Find the lingering aroma of mocha, mild spices, and hazelnut in this exceptional Champagne.
- 1985 Krug Collection Brut (Price: $1,250+)
The 1985 Krug Collection offers aromas of warm bread, spices, and pepper. It’s enhanced by notes of delicate white truffle and ripe figs.
5. Krug Clos du Mesnil
The Krug Clos du Mesnil is a Blanc de Blancs wine, sourced from the tiny, walled Clos du Mesnil vineyard. This 100% Chardonnay wine was launched with the 1979 vintage.
Find the exquisite flavor of Clos du Mesnil in:
- 2002 Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut (Price: $1,360+)
This luminous, golden wine offers the scent of citrus fruit, pepper, grilled nut, and toasted brioche. The palate is precise, and has firm acidity with notes of peach, orange, and licorice.
- 2004 Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut (Price: $1,110+)
The 2004 vintage is a vibrant, expressive wine with aromas of toffee apple, caramel, and citrus fruit.
6. Krug Clos d'Ambonnay
The Blanc de Noirs from Clos d’Ambonnay is one of Krug’s prestige Champagnes, made from 100% Pinot Noir. It was first introduced with the 1995 vintage.
Here are our picks for a Champagne lover:
- 1996 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs Brut ($3,220+)
This Pinot Noir from Ambonnay offers the sumptuous scents of plum tart, brioche, and orange blossom with an incredibly concentrated palate.
- 2002 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs Brut (Price: $2,830+)
This mouthwatering Champagne has delicious aromas of gingerbread, orange peel, and hazelnut with an elegant structure and intensity.
A fine bottle of Krug can be relished by itself. But what dishes match well with these elegant Champagnes?
Serving and Food Pairing with a Bottle of Krug
For the best flavors and aromas, Krug recommends serving its Champagnes between 9oC to 12oC.
Pair your Krug Grande Cuvée with aged parmesan, grilled shrimp, and cheesecake.
Your Krug Vintage will go well with salmon tartar, fine fish in citrus sauce, Thai cuisine with ginger and lemongrass, and lemon meringue tart. And the Krug Clos du Mesnil pairs well with fish or shellfish dishes, seared scallops, and sole meuniere.
Also read: Serve your Champagne like a pro with the right type of Champagne glass!
More Interesting Facts About Krug
Krug’s journey until now has been peppered with super-interesting stories like these:
1. How Krug survived World War I
During World War I, Joseph Krug II — who headed the Krug House — was taken prisoner. So, his wife Jeanne took over estate management in his stead and kept Krug afloat in those tumultuous times.
2. A sixth-generation Krug heads the House
Krug has managed to keep the House with the family for six generations. And though LVMH acquired Krug in 1999, Olivier Krug continues as the House Director, with Maggie Henriquez as Krug’s President and CEO.
3. Krug ID is the key to the secret in each bottle
There is a six-digit code on the back label of every Krug bottle since 2011.
You can enter this Krug ID on the Krug website or Krug app to reveal details of that particular blend. You’ll discover which vintages and grapes were used, the Cellar Master’s impressions, and even food pairing recommendations.
4. The most expensive Krug at release
All Krugs are pricey, but one particular cuvée was extra expensive on release.
The suggested retail price for the Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1995 fell between $3,000 and $3,500 per bottle at launch, which was a shocking number for many.
Investing in Krug Champagne
Krug produces only about 384,000 bottles of its Grand Cuvée, and only 504,000 bottles of Krug Vintage annually. Compare this to Dom Perignon, which has an annual production of 5 million bottles of its Grand Vin!
Krug’s highly-regarded Clos du Mesnil and Clos d’Ambonnay wines are also in very limited production. Clos du Mesnil makes around 12,000 bottles, and the smaller Clos d'Ambonnay produces 5,000 bottles annually. That makes these wines extremely rare, even at the time of release.
Prices for older vintage Champagnes can easily reach $600+ per bottle, reflecting the healthy global appetite for these wines.
With its unique character, incomparable finesse and scarcity, every new release is looked out for by Krug lovers and collectors.
How do you buy Krug Champagne?
Searching through online wine merchants, auctions, and wine exchanges can be exhaustive.
But there’s an easier way.
A wine investment company like Vinovest can help you find that elusive Krug, or any investment-grade wine, for that matter.
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Krug - A Masterpiece of a Champagne in Your Portfolio
The Krug Champagne House exemplifies artistry, tradition, and exacting craftsmanship.
Every bottle of Krug Champagne is a masterpiece in its own right — one worthy of enjoyment and investment.
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