Once upon a vine, in a tale that bubbles over with history, Krug emerged as one of the world's most luxurious champagne houses. But rewind the clock to its origins, and you'll find a story with far more modest beginnings. The House of Krug was founded in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug, a butcher’s son. Born in Mainz in 1800, Joseph (who dispensed with the name Johann) travelled to Paris in 1834 to work as an accountant for Champagne Jacquesson, in Chalons-sur-Marne.
Joseph’s work soon took him beyond the office and across Europe, where he delved into the art of composition and taste. This journey sparked a profound interest in Champagne, and it is said that during this time, he came to understand that the very essence of Champagne is pleasure. In 1843, after a year of negotiations, he founded Krug, marking the beginning of his Champagne legacy.
Joseph Krug’s vision was clear from the start: to create the very best Champagne every year, regardless of the vintage conditions. This bold philosophy led to the creation of the house’s flagship multi-vintage wine, initially labeled “Private Cuvée”. In 1978, the wine was rebranded as Krug Grande Cuvée, and it quickly became the hallmark of the house. This masterpiece is a blend of more than 120 different wines from up to 12 different years, offering a remarkable complexity.
"Krug is aged longer than any other Champagne, and it shows in the depth and complexity of its Grande Cuvée" - Tyson Stelzer
All Krug’s wines undergo primary fermentation in 205-litre oak barrels. Each cru is vinified separately, without malolactic fermentation to preserve the wines’ freshness and longevity, and the reserve wines are then stored in stainless steel. All three vintage Krugs (Krug Vintage, Krug Clos du Mesnil and Krug Clos d’Ambonnay) are aged for a minimum 10 years on lees – seven more than the legal requirement for standard and single-vineyard vintage Champagnes.
