krug tours

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Krug Champagne House

Founded in 1843, Joseph Krug had the goal of blending wines of different years to produce a rich and consistent expression of pleasure. The House has a unique and singular approach, which has given it the reputation as the Haute Couture Champagne .

The prestige Krug Grande Cuvée  is the signature champagne of the house and aged for over 20 years. Over 120 wines are blended in this Cuvee taken from 150 reserve wines from the previous 10-15 vintages and 250 wines from a single year.

Did you know that each Krug bottle has a distinctive character using the six digit number that appears on the back label. An interactive Krug application, available on mobile and tablet, allows you to scan the Krug ID and access the unique history: harvest challenges of the year revealed by Cellar Master Eric Lebel, ratings from experts, food inspiration to pair with each cuvee, as well as storage recommendations.

Reservations can only be made for exisiting Krug clients upon written proof from your wine retailer and must be a minimum of 3 months in advance. If you are lucky enough to be offered a visit at Krug please note that it will last about 2hrs

Private Cellar Visit & Tasting at Maison Krug Includes

▸ Personalized welcome at Maison Krug. 45mins ▸ Discovery of the House and Cellars 30mins ▸ Tasting "Journey into the Krug Universe" 45mins.

Your Day Tour

We will organize the day to compliment your visit to Krug should you be invited. If you like the fact the Krug vinifiies plot by plot and grape by grape or that they vinefy in the wine is oak barrels or the fact they do not make vintage champgnes, then you may like a production facility visit some medium size and artisanal growers who use the same methods to produce top quality champagnes, Billecart Salmon for example is a good example.

On the other hand you may like to try champagnes, which are produced quite differently and not vinified separately, vintage champagnes or vinified in steel vats to give a natural freshness and taste the difference. In addition to a visit where you can actually see , we will have time to stop for a triple tasting visit at some top brands like Gaston Chiquet or Vilmart & Cie.

Given your interest in the gastonomic champagne, it seem only in keeping with the days tastings of top quality to suggest a nice 1 star Michelin restaurant for lunch or a restaurant with a view over the vineyards. Everything is possible.

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Exclusive Krug

Luxury krug tour in reims.

At a glance

Trip summary.

A rare and exclusive opportunity to visit the unique Champagne Krug.  This three day package offers the ultimate in luxury for lovers of this singular Champagne.  Staying at the sumptuous 5 * L’Assiette Champenoise, guests will enjoy a flawless level of service at the hotel as well as dinner in the hotel’s triple Michelin-Starred restaurant.

Upon arrival in Reims, check into the top Suite at L’Assiette Champenoise and enjoy the chilled half bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée that awaits you.  You may wish to then relax at the hotel and take a dip in the indoor pool, which opens straight on to the garden.

In the evening, the “Emotion” tasting menu will be served in the hotel’s contemporary dining room.  As part of your Exclusive package, the three Michelin starred Chef, Arnaud Lallement will be delighted to meet you and talk to you about the fresh, seasonal and local menu he has prepared for you, and the pairings he has chosen with Champagne Krug Grande Cuvée, Krug Vintage as well as Krug Rosé.

After breakfast on day two, you will be met at your hotel by your private driver who will take you to Champagne Krug, where you will be one of the few to experience an exclusive tour at the Krug Family House, a place lived in and loved for many generations and adjacent to the heart of Krug’s Champagne creation. You will start the experience with a glass of the current Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée in one of the intimate salons of the Maison. After getting acquainted with the philosophy of Joseph Krug in his iconic dark cherry notebook, your host will take you to the cellars to highlight the unique craftsmanship of Krug. Your Krug journey will end with an immersive tasting of two Krug Champagnes where music will have a role to play.

After such an unforgettable morning, the rest of the day is at leisure. You may wish to explore the historic city of Reims, it is after all, the capital of the Champagne region!

Reims was largely rebuilt after the First World War, and is famous for its Gothic Cathedral, where once upon a time, the Kings of France had their coronations.  There are plenty of excellent restaurants and cafés and we would be more than happy to provide recommendations for lunch.  We will arrange for your driver to collect you from Reims to take you back to your hotel when you are ready.

After a leisurely breakfast on day three, check out of the hotel and begin your homeward journey.

Outline Itinerary

Day One of your Krug tour

• On arrival in Reims, check into the top Suite at L’Assiette Champenoise. A half bottle of Krug will be waiting for you in your room on arrival.
• The rest of the day will be free for you to relax and enjoy your surroundings.
• In the evening, dinner with Krug Champagnes will be served in the hotel’s triple Michelin-starred restaurant.

Day Two of your Krug tour

• After breakfast, your day will consist of:
• Private transfers to and from Champagne Krug.
• A VIP tour and tastings at Champagne Krug.
• Free time in Reims.
• The evening will then be free for you to do as you choose.

Final day of your Krug tour

• After a leisurely breakfast, check out of the hotel.

Accommodation

L’Assiette Champenoise – Reims

I just wanted to send a note to say what a wonderful trip I experienced in Champagne. The itinerary was great, everything was in order from start to finish. I would say that dinner at l’Assiette Champenoise was absolutely stunning. I would recommend Grape Escapes to anyone travelling to wine regions in Europe.

Judy- Calgary, Canada

Package Prices

• These prices are per person and based on two people travelling together and sharing a twin or double room.
• These are realistic guide prices, based on travel in standard season (usually April to the end of October). Discounts often apply for travel out of season (usually November to the end of March) or if there are more than two of you travelling together. Please let us know your preferred travel dates for a definitive price.
• Although we propose specific hotels as part of our standard packages, we enjoy excellent relationships and preferential rates at the majority of the hotels in each of our featured destinations. Therefore if you would prefer to stay in a different hotel, this can be arranged. Please contact us for the relevant supplements/discounts.
• Other room grades are available at most of the hotels that we work with. Just let us know which hotel you prefer and we will send you the relevant supplements for the various room grades.
• Single supplements and extra night prices are available upon request.

Enhance your Experience/Tour Upgrades

If you would like to make your Grape Escapes holiday even more special, there are a number of additional activities that we can arrange for you. To complement the experience, these could be arranged to fit in/around your current itinerary or we can arrange additional nights and room upgrades at your hotel, as well as your travel arrangements, a stop-over en route and even a visit to another part of the country! See below for some of the most popular upgrades.

• Stay longer! Just let us know your preferred hotel and room grade, and we will provide you with the relevant supplement for extra nights with breakfast.
• Additional tours and activities! We would be delighted to provide inspiration for more wine tours and cultural activities. The possibilities are endless!
• Experience the region’s gastronomy. The wine regions are brimming with unique gastronomic dining opportunities and what better way to enjoy a glass than with a mouth-watering meal? We offer a variety of menus to suit every budget. Contact us for prices.
• Tailor-made tour extensions. The team at Grape Escapes have travelled extensively in Europe, not just in the wine regions and can therefore recommend and arrange tailor-made tour extensions to other regions and cities, for example Paris in France or Bilbao in Spain.

Further Information

Travel to your exclusive krug tour.

Given the wide range of travel options, the package price does not include travel. Please see our  travel page  for other travel options and further information about travelling to our Champagne trips.

Exclusive Tours

For more information on our Exclusive tours please see our  Exclusive tours page .

Further Information / To Book

To secure your booking, a 20% deposit is required. Your remaining balance will then be due 60 days before you travel. Please call us on +44 (0) 1920 46 86 66 or e-mail  [email protected]  to request a booking form.

The trip was a wonderful success. Thank you so much for your assistance in planning such a memorable and special journey.

Susan- Coral Gables, South Africa

Special Occasion?

Celebrating a birthday, wedding anniversary or engagement? Our expert team would be delighted to talk you through the options and create your perfect trip.

Grape Escapes Gifts

What to buy for the wine lover who has everything? We offer a variety of gift options, and vouchers are valid for two years.

Top ways to experience Krug and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Krug - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.26 km) Grand Hôtel des Templiers
• (0.20 km) Villa Lundy au coeur de la ville ! ♥
• (0.26 km) KOSY Appart’Hôtels Le Champ de Mars
• (0.27 km) Boulingrin
• (0.45 km) Hotel Azur Reims
• (0.28 km) Samjia
• (0.24 km) Trésors de Champagne - La Boutique
• (0.34 km) version originale
• (0.28 km) Copain Comme Cochon
• (0.42 km) Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons

Top ways to experience Krug and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

Krug - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.26 km) Grand Hôtel des Templiers
• (0.20 km) Villa Lundy au coeur de la ville ! ♥
• (0.26 km) KOSY Appart’Hôtels Le Champ de Mars
• (0.27 km) Boulingrin
• (0.45 km) Hotel Azur Reims
• (0.28 km) Samjia
• (0.24 km) Trésors de Champagne - La Boutique
• (0.34 km) version originale
• (0.28 km) Copain Comme Cochon
• (0.42 km) Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons

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The Fabulous Krug Cellar Tour & Tasting in Reims, France

Krug Cellars is located in downtown Reims. If you weren’t looking for it you may stroll by it not noticing the subtle unmarked entrance.

Upon arriving to Maison Krug, we were welcomed with a glass of Krug Champagne as we sat and relaxed in this lovely lounge.

Cheers to the upcoming visit at Maison Krug and being able to sip on these beautiful wines for the next few hours! I feel like such a lucky girl being able to experience Maison Krug. Sadly this Maison is not open to the public so it’s quite a challenging visit to secure.

This is the Living Room and Dining Room at Maison Krug.

After being welcomed with a glass of wine and spending some time learning about the history of Krug we began our tour of the cellar.

Within these cellars resides the House’s vast library of reserve wines to which six generations have contributed. This collection now houses 150 wines, each expressing the personality of an individual plot.

The tank room where the Krug Champagnes are blended and stored before they’re bottled.

After our cellar tour, we proceeded to a tasting in this gorgeous tasting lounge. I felt as if I died and went to heaven. What a stunning experience!

The wall of 40 wines (shown on the right)

“Each year, Krug’s Cellar Master auditions 250 wines of the year and 150 reserve wines when creating a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée. While the wall of this tasting room visually depicts these 400 wines, each of which incarnates the essence of a single vineyard plot, audio speakers placed around the space play acoustic representations of 10 different regions of Champagne, to demonstrate the unique contribution of each to the final blend of Krug Grande Cuvée, the most generous expression of Champagne.”

Our tasting began with the Krug Grand Cuvee. I always enjoy tasting this stunning which has a deep golden color, fine bubbles with lovely fullness and elegant flavors.

Our tasting included the 2004 Krug vintage, the 2006 Krug Brut concluding with the Grand Cuvee 162. Each of these wines was magnificent with subtle unique tastes and flavor profiles.

It was interesting tasting the 2004 Krug vintage next to to the 2006 Krug Vintage as I found the 2004 lovely with creamy flavors and not too bright or acidity. I loved the nutty noises with caramel scents.

In comparison the 2006 Krug Brut also had the nutty profile yet it was a very hot year which made for a bigger more indulgent profile with beautiful vanilla scents on the nose.

Views of the Krug garden and patio.

Thanks to the Maison Krug team for hosting me for this informative and delicious tasting. What a spectacular once in a lifetime memory I will always treasure and appreciate. 

Previous post

The Best Champagne Houses To Visit in Champagne (Reims, France)

An Evening with Krug Champagne CEO Maggie Henríquez

Hôtel du Marc Lunch with Veuve Clicquot Winemaker

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A Legacy Isn't Built Overnight — It Takes Time. 80 Years to be Exact.

Welcome to Charles Krug, Napa Valley’s oldest winery, established in 1861, and the home of California’s first wine tasting room. Since its founding by Charles Krug, a pioneer and visionary, this winery has continued to contribute significantly to the world of wine. Our story starts 80 years ago in 1943, when The Mondavi Family purchased the winery and vowed to continue Krug’s legacy of visionary thinking and innovation. To this day, five generations later, the family remains committed to the stewardship of this iconic place, and to those principals.

When you visit our estate winery, you’ll enter our driveway, and follow the olive trees lining the vineyards to our tasting room, located in our historic Redwood Cellar. There, you’ll be offered a variety of curated tasting experiences, all detailed below. If you do not have time for a full experience, and would like to simply enjoy our beautiful space, we offer wines for purchase to enjoy at your leisure.

While outside-food and picnicking are not permitted, we do offer a cheese and charcuterie board as an add-on option.

For questions, or to make a reservation or change an existing reservation, please contact our concierge at 707.967.2229 or [email protected]

visit our iconic estate

Reserve Your Experience

ESTATE TASTING | $50 PER GUEST

CABERNET CONNOISSEUR TASTING | $75 PER GUEST

You may book one or mix and match for your reservation. In these two 60-minute sit-down wine tastings, we will share our stories and winemaking traditions. The Estate Tasting will feature a mix of four of our red and white wines. The Cabernet Connoisseur Tasting gives you the chance to learn about the influence of ‘terroir’ and how a vineyard’s location can affect a wine’s flavors and aromas, all while you taste through our four exquisite, limited-production, single-vineyard Cabernets.

RESERVE YOUR TASTING EXPERIENCE

TOUR AND TASTING | $90 PER GUEST

Trace winemaking history with this guided tour of our beautiful, historic estate. Your experience includes tasting five of our signature, current release Napa Valley wines, along with a gourmet cheese and charcuterie board. * Limited to individuals 21 years or older*

RESERVE YOUR TOUR & TASTING

BLIND TASTE LIKE A SOMM | $125 PER GUEST

Ever wonder how Sommeliers can tell wines apart? Join our Certified Sommelier in this interactive and elevated wine tasting workshop to learn. They will take you through the nuances of wine tasting and provide all the tips and tricks to identify what you are experiencing, just as a Sommelier would. * Limited to individuals 21 years or older.

RESERVE YOUR BLIND TASTE LIKE A SOMM

FOOD & WINE PAIRING | $125 PER GUEST

Wine and food are interwoven and pairing them together in just the right way can enhance the flavors of both immensely. In this experience, where we pair small bites with some of our exclusive, small-lot wines, you will learn more about how each can elevate the other.

RESERVE YOUR FOOD & WINE PAIRING

CAVIAR & WINE PAIRING | $150 PER GUEST

Savor our Italian Calvisius Caviar, exclusively hand-selected for Charles Krug, expertly paired with our exclusive, small-lot sparkling and white wines. This experience features over 30 grams of caviar, along with classic accompaniments and a few playful twists and surprises.

RESERVE YOUR CAVIAR & WINE PAIRING

Limited to individuals 21 years or older. A single reservation must partake in the same culinary experience. The culinary experiences have a 48 hour cancellation policy. If you do need to cancel within 48 hours of  your reservation date, the full experience will be charged. Please notify us of dietary restrictions when making your reservation. This may not a private experience and you could be paired with other guests.

Available daily in two-hour blocks, reserve one of our private cabanas. Groups from 2 to 12 guests may enjoy a relaxing time amongst history with tasting flights or even by the glass and full-bottle selections to delicious culinary fare, we will tailor a custom experience just for you.

Parties of 2-6 guests: $400 minimum spend in food & wine ( Wine Club Members: $320)

Parties of 7-12 guests: $800 minimum spend in food & wine ( Wine Club Members: $640)

No outside food or drink permitted. Family and dog friendly. We kindly ask that your furry friend remains on a leash.

RESERVE YOUR PRIVATE CABANA

Our private experience coordinators are the best in the industry at curating an experience that fits your needs.

PRIVATE GROUP TOUR AND TASTING

When you have 13 or more guests in your party, they will customize an exclusive tour and tasting with the option to add-on food as well.

IN-HOME TASTINGS

If you are looking for something significantly more private and exclusive, you can even have one of our experience coordinators travel to your home anywhere in the USA.

VIRTUAL TASTINGS

If your company or your friends and family cannot be together in person, a virtual tasting experience is perfect for you.

INQUIRE NOW

If you’re seeking the quintessential Napa Valley vineyard backdrop, we’re delighted to share that our venue ranks among the most beautiful in Napa Valley for weddings, corporate and private events. With multiple location options, our historic estate can accommodate large parties, up to 800 guests.

EXPLORE HERE

ALL TASTINGS NOW BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

Experience Request

This form is to submit your experience request. We will follow up via email with additional information.

A walk through time

Get to Know the Family Estate

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carriage house

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Carriage House

Built in 1881 for Carolina Bale, Charles Krug’s wife, to house her beloved horse carriages. The building is one of Napa Valley’s richest architectural treasures.

redwood cellar

Built in 1881 for Charles Krug’s wife, Carolina, to house her horses and carriages, the building is one of Napa Valley’s richest architectural treasures.

Redwood Cellar

Erected in 1872, this architectural gem was once the heart of Charles Krug’s wine production, now dramatically transformed into a stunning wine hospitality center.

vintage selection library

Built in honor of family patriarch Peter Mondavi Sr., it here that our coveted collection of Vintage Selection wines lies beautifully ensconced. Dating back to 1944 it is considered the oldest collection of Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley.

Vintage Selection Library

Built in honor of family patriarch Peter Mondavi Sr., it's here that our coveted collection of Vintage Selection wines lie beautifully ensconced. Dating back to 1944 it is considered the oldest collection of Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley.

Reserve Barrel Room

Adjacent to the tasting room, and on full dramatic display behind soaring glass walls, this working cellar houses hundreds of French oak barrels where our reserve wines are being carefully aged before release.

The Great Lawn

Adjacent to the historic carriage house, this spectacular outdoor space is home to dozens of events throughout the year from films and concerts to our signature Tastings on the Lawn event.

memorable gatherings

Custom Experiences

From intimate private dinners in our stunning Redwood Cellar and Glamping on the Great Lawn to spectacular weddings in the historic Carriage House, our iconic estate in St. Helena has been home to many memorable gatherings. Our experienced team of event specialists will assist you in creating flawless memories that will last a lifetime.

Cucina di Rosa

Enjoy a glass (or 2!) of our Limited Release and prized Family Reserves along with a curated local cheese and charcuterie plate. Walk-ins welcome for a by the glass experiences; no reservations required.

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Krug Grande Cuvée

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The Krug Experience: Tasting Review and Photos

Throughout the year, we organise an array of champagne tastings based around different themes – from our comprehensive range tastings to more formal masterclasses – which typically encompass comparisons of anything from vintages, brands, size formats and styles. Of the different themes, our Krug Experiences have consistently proven one of our most popular and have consequently become a fixed feature in our annual tasting calendar.

Our most recent celebration of this most famously prestige effervescence was hosted by Essi Avellan MW at 67 Pall Mall last month. Guests were served five Krug Grande Cuv̩es, 166th to 161st Editions (base vintages 2010 to 2005); and seven Krug Vintages, 2006 to 1995. In addition, four of these champagnes were served from magnum, making it a simply unmissable evening РKrug fanatic or not.

Our thanks to Jack, Krug’s London-based Brand Manager for providing our fantastic welcome drink – the latest release of their non-vintage,  Krug Grande Cuvée 167th Edition NV .

“At Krug, we’re not about consistency but generosity. We don’t work to a rulebook or a formula and want to celebrate the differences from year to year†– Olivier K rug

Krug Grande Cuvée Grande Cuvée is not your average non-vintage. Priced at a similar level to the prestige cuvées of many other major champagne houses, it is a prestige cuvée in its own right. Like other non-vintages, Grande Cuvée consists of wine from several years: a base vintage (the youngest and majority part in the blend) and reserve wines from older vintages. Amongst the many things that make Grande Cuvée unique is that the proportion of reserve wines is unusually high (typically 30-50%) and the reserve wines are unusually old (the youngest Edition in this tasting, 166 (the 2010 base), features reserve wine from 1998).

Given the typically high percentage of reserve wines from such old vintages, Krug manage to produce a very consistent style and quality with Grande Cuvée each year. However, with 50-70% of the blend coming from one base vintage, each Edition inevitably displays subtle differences that showcase the characteristics of that year.

In late 2016, Krug began numbering each Grande Cuvée blend to promote the individuality of each creation and allow the ageing capacity and potential complexity of Grande Cuvée to be understood. Now that Grande Cuvée displays its Edition on the label, the famous non-vintage can be fully appreciated as a series of difference releases – which can now be easily compared, explored and endlessly discussed!

Krug Vintage The next step-up in quality level is vintage champagne, Again, where at most houses the vintage category champagnes situate themselves above the brut non-vintage, but below the top prestige cuvée range, at Krug the distinction is obsolete. Their vintage champagnes reveal the unique characteristics of each year; expert blends of expressive wines enhanced by more than ten years of maturity in the cellars, named to reflect their individual identities: Krug 2000 ‘Stormy Indulgence’; Krug 2002  ‘Ode to Nature’;  Krug 2003  ‘Vivacious Radiance’;  Krug 2004  ‘Luminous Freshness’; and Krug 2006  ‘Capricious Indulgence’.

The potential for a Krug vintage champagne is identified during the blending of Krug Grande Cuvée. Once the non-vintage blend has been secured and all of the reserves earmarked, the wines displaying the most pronounced character of the vintage are blended to create the vintage champagne. This tasting will highlight six vintages of Krug, including 2000 in both bottle and magnum; 2002 , one of the greatest ever; and a magnum of  1995 , newly “late released” and extraordinarily scarce.

The champagnes were tasted blind and are listed below in the order tasted on the evening. Tasting notes and scores are Nick’s from The Finest Bubble. Guests live scored each champagne using our smartphone app and the group average scores are presented in the table of ranking below our tasting notes.

Conclusion While each of the champagnes showed amazingly well (18.2/20 average score!), the magnum effect was once again the star of the show. Each of the larger formats had a fuller texture and deeper complexity, as showcased by the three vintage magnums taking the podium spots as the highest rated tipples of the evening. The conclusion: if you want to experience the best of Krug, you need to be drinking it from a magnum!

Our latest Krug Experience featured twelve champagnes, including four from magnum

Essi Avellan MW has recently completed the latest edition of the Christies Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Guests sampled five Grande Cuvée Editions, from base vintage 2010 to 2006

Two Krug Vintages were served from magnum: 2000 and the recently re-released 1995

Our smartphone app allowed guests to live score on the evening

That deep, golden, Krug hue….

A very impressive 6 out of 12 Krug champagnes correctly identified = a bottle of Grande Cuvée

The room awarded an average score of 18.2/20 across all champagnes – not bad!

How Your Champagne Is Packaged - 100% Eco-Friendly Packaging:

Over night delivery.

Our boxes are 100% recyclable cardboard and "paper bubble wrap" is efficient to both transport and dispose of. Additionally we seal the boxes with paper tape.

Same Day Guaranteed Delivery

All same day deliveries are made in TFB "Jute Bags" a 100% recyclable material highly durable, made with tightly woven and sewn jute material that give their free-standing ability, and as a result, many customers use it for shopping bags. They are 100% bio-degradable.

Introducing Krug Champagne

• Updated February 23, 2024

Location: Rue Coquebert, Reims.

When was Krug founded? Krug was founded in ​​1843.

Who founded Krug? The Champagne House was founded by Joseph Krug. It was later sold to Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) in 1999, though is still managed today by Krug’s 6th generation, Olivier Krug.

Winemaking Designation: Négociant Manipulant 

Krug Vineyards

How many vineyards does krug have.

Maison Krug sources the grapes for their wines from over 250 different cru plots in the Champagne region, totaling around 220 acres.

Where are the vineyards?

Krug owns 30% of the vineyards where their wines are grown. One of them is Clos du Mesnil, a 4.55-acre plot in the heart of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne’s most recognized Chardonnay terroir. The House also gets its Pinot Noir from the walled Clos d’Ambonnay. It is a 1.68-acre plot on the Montagne de Reims’ slopes.

These vineyards are where their two single-vineyard vintages, Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs, come from. Their Pinot Meunier grows in other vineyards in Trépail. But they source the rest of the grapes from 100 long-term contract grape growers.

Growing Practices at Krug

Are they organic or biodynamic.

When it comes to selecting the plots from which to harvest the grapes, Maison Krug puts quality control and sustainability on top of their consideration.

Their vineyards are certified as sustainable and biodynamic. They are not (yet) certified organic, however, they use chemicals only if there’s a threat to the entire crop. In fact, the House has not been using herbicides for several years now. So, they are as close to organic as they can be.

However, they don’t see themselves seeking a certification, because, if any disease threatens their vineyards, they will keep using products to save their crop. But the House continues to be open-minded and interested in new ideas.

Krug has been exploring massale selections that may help to mitigate the effects of climate change. They’re looking at pruning procedures, where they must re-educate their workforce, and how to encourage deeper rooting. The House is also experimenting with biodiversity in one of its single vineyards. 

As harvest approaches, the house is considering how they might be more careful in monitoring ripening across our plots, as getting the date right becomes increasingly crucial. They prefer not to correct the must after it’s pressed, so they have to pick whenever it’s suitable to do it.

In 2004, Krug was awarded ISO certification in environmental practices, energy management, and food safety management. It is the first LVMH Maison to earn the Positive Luxury title.

Any special growing techniques used?

One of the things that sets Krug apart from others is their two famous single-vineyard Champagnes. The Blanc de Blancs, for example, is produced from the Chardonnay they picked from the Clos du Mesnil vineyard, while the Blanc de Noirs comes from the Pinot Noir grown in the Clos d’Ambonnay vineyard.

Due to changes in climate, sun exposure, and other terroir-related factors, the House picks the fruits from each plot separately to guarantee the best quality possible. Krug puts importance on respecting each plot’s individuality. 

Winemaking at Krug

Who is the winemaker.

In early 2020, Julie Cavil became Krug Champagne’s Chef de cave. She quietly took the place of the house’s long-time winemaker, Eric Lebel. Cavil is also the first female Chef de cave at Krug. Prior to becoming the cellar master, she was an assistant Chef de cave at Krug from 2006.

What types of wine making techniques do they use?

Taking from the Founder Joseph Krug’s dark cherry notebook, the concept is simple but makes sense. Each wine is treated uniquely, having its own distinct personality. The house vinifies one grape variety from a single plot using the same oak cask.

Krug is one of the few houses that carefully tirage and ferment in small, 205-liter oak casks plot by plot, for at least 20 years. And its Grand Cuvée sets the benchmark for non-vintage Champagnes, having an extensive collection of reserves to add to the blend, which is stored in large stainless steel tanks.

Their casks are old. The reason for this is not to introduce tannins but rather to let a gradual interaction between the must and the minimal quantity of oxygen let through those casks. Such a process enables the wine’s extended, slow maturity and also adds to its famed age-ability.

The grapes harvested from each cru are vinified individually into base wines without malolactic fermentation and two gravity racks. Krug doesn’t induce malolactic fermentation in the early phase, as they believe that it extends the wine’s lifespan. During vinification, the wines should start to mature and reveal their own flavors.

These wines will then be stored separately in small vats in a large library that has roughly 150 distinct reserves, with wines from 10 to 12 unique vintages. It’s up to the Chef de cave which wines from single plots could be used to boost that year’s production and which ones will be the reserves.

In addition to the reserves, Krug produces 250 wines of the year, with a total of 400 wines for use for the final blend of a new Champagne every year. Each champagne serves as a representation of an individual plot.

Combining wines from many vintages helps the cellar master to produce an outstanding depth of flavor in their Champagnes. Upon tasting, the Chef de cave may sometimes find an exquisite and fruity wine. Other times, they will taste one that is more structured. But if they sample an overripe wine, Krug will reject it.

The introduction of the Krug iD makes it even possible to know what goes into their wines. Krug iD is a 6-digit identification code on the back label of Krug bottles. It gives drinkers access to information about the blend and the vintage’s characteristics and suggests food to go with the wine.

The Wines at Krug

Krug offers 5 different Champagne varieties. Their non-vintage varieties are made from a combination of three grapes, while their vintage ones are 100% made of either Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.

Krug Grande Cuvée – Made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier; percentage varies per year. This wine is a blend of 150 to 200 different wines, from 10 to 15 different vintages. It’s aged for at least years and is available in 16 editions.

Krug Clos du Mesnil – Made from 100% Chardonnay. It’s aged for a minimum of 10 years on the lees and comes in 8 vintages.

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay – Made from 100% Pinot Noir. This wine is aged for 14 years on the lees and comes in 5 vintages.

Krug Brut Rosé – Skin-fermented Pinot Noir gives it a lovely blush. It’s a unique blend that comprises 4 to 6 different vintages, and three grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier), with the complexity of the Krug style. This sparkling wine is available in 9 editions.

Krug Vintage – This bottling is a blend of wines from a single year. The blend is aged in the cellars for additional 10 years to produce its richest flavor. It is available in 10 different vintages.

Krug no longer offers private tours to the general public.

Victoria M.

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Private Tour and Tasting at The House of Krug.

 a tour of the house of krug.

Krug is one of the most prestigious houses in the champagne region in France. To be able to visit and do a private tour and tasting at The House of Krug is truly exceptional. Joseph Krug established the House of Krug in 1843 to create the very best champagne. Krug is based in Reims the main city in the champagne region in France.

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If you get the chance to tour the House of Krug you will be extremely lucky and honoured to do so since Krug no longer actually gives private tours to the general public. However we visited the Krug cellars during our stay at  L’Assiette Champenoise where they offer speciality Krug champagne weekend packages .

A visit to the House of Krug in the heart of the Champagne region

Our visit was very special from the word go, Starting in the House where Krug began in the heart of champagne. The beautiful building with the oak barrels lining the entrance were spectacular in itself.

The Lounge of Krug

Joseph Krug wrote all of his tasting notes in a cherry red notebook passing on all of his knowledge to his son Paul. He experimented with building a reserve of wines from grapes grown in different plots to blend exceptional wines.

Joseph wrote in his book ” A good house should only create two champagnes of the same quality” , champagne no 1 to be the fullest expression of champagne every single year, and. Champagne no 2, the expression of the circumstances of a particular year captured by Krug, and created only in the years as Krug vintage.

We know this today as Krug Vintage.

The Krug Champagne

Today the house offers seven different Krug champagnes;

• Krug grande cuvée
• The Krug vintage
• Krug collection
• Two clos du mesnil .

A walled vinyard ‘the clos du mesnil’ is where the grapes are grown in a protected area closed off from external elements such as wind. It also has the perfect soil. This soil (or terroir as it is called in French) creates an exceptional flavour. With the quality Soil and growing position you can create exceptional wine such as those created at Krug.

Krug have two of these such areas and grow grapes that are used to produce two champagnes. The Krug Clos Mesnil Champagne and the Clos D’ambonnay which produces the Krug Clos D’ambonnay Champagne.

Champagne tasting at The house of Krug

We sampled three champagnes on our tasting at Krug;

• A Krug Grand Cuvée
• Krug Vintage 2003
• Krug Vintage 2000

All three champagnes were exceptional and came with their own Krug ID.

Krug Grand Cuvée

Krug Grande Cuvée is a blend of over 120 wines coming from ten or more different previous vintages. Some of the vintages used to make this champagne are up to fifteen years old in age. There are three grape varieties in the Krug Grand Cuvée they are the;

•  Pinot Meunier.

These all come from from numerous Grand Cru vineyards in the champagne region.

Krug Vintage Champagne

Krug Vintage is, according to the House;

“not the selection of the best wines of a particular year, but rather the expression of that year according to Krug”.

Therefore Krug Vintage is composed only of wines from one a single year. The Krug Vintage champagne matures in Krug’s cellars for at least ten years before it is released for sale.

On our visit we were told all about the “Krug ID “which tells the unique story of each individual bottle of champagne.

Each bottle of Krug has its own Krug ID number on the back of the bottle. Krug has divised an App where you can learn about each individual bottle of Krug. Once you put the Krug ID information in to the Krug app it will tell you the story of your individual bottle. You will be able to find out the age of the reserve wine’s used to make the champagne as well as when it was corked and the date it left the cellar.

Accompanying this information you will find tasting notes on the wine as well as information on food pairing and even music that suits the mood of your champagne.

What is in the cellars of the house of Krug?

Once we had finished our tasting, we took a tour of the house. First off was the stunning cellars where even the smell is amazing, the cool dark spaces emulates such History and an excitement much like their champagne..

Champagne is stored to mature in wooden riddling racks. These riddlers allow for just a quarter turn at a time for each bottle to allow the sediment to settle in to the neck of the bottle.

Seeing the stunning vintages locked behind gates was amazing. All sitting and waiting for that special event.

Next was a tour around the reserve wines in they’re huge aluminium vats. Here you will find the house’s library of 150 reserve wines. These wines are to be used in the blend of a future Krug Grande Cuvée and Krug Rosé.

The pristine clean rooms are a stark contrast to that of the cellars.

Krug uses small 205-litre oak casks tailor-made from trees that are more than two centuries old in the forests of Hautes Futaies in Central France. These Barrels are only used for approximately 40 years.

During the summer preceding the harvest, casks are regularly watered to humidify the wood. The oak casks were a beautiful sight to see filling up the courtyard of the House of Krug. The water leaves stunning reflections on their lids of the surrounding house.

Visiting The House of Krug  was a fantastic  opportunity to explore and taste some beautiful champagne’s from an exceptional house.

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Wow what an experience and a beautiful building to wander around. Love that you can enter the code on the app and find out the story behind the bottle. I hope you got to sample some of the Krug too x

Was an Amazing experience, I love France too! thanks for visiting x

What amazing and beautiful pictures. I have another place to add to my must visit list on my future trips planning.

What a fabulous opportunity! Krug is by far my favorite champagne. Do you have advice on obtaining a tour? I will traveling to France in JuneJuky of this year and am very keen on touring the Krug winery. However, Inhave heard that it’s difficult to get a tour. I did an internet search on Krug tours and came across your blog. Many thanks in advance for your advice.

Best, Andrea

Hi Andrea, thank you for your visit. We visited Krug as part of a offer with a hotel and meal package at https://www.assiettechampenoise.com/en/hotel/#krug it is quite expensive. However you may be able to get in if you use someone who arranges tours for different champagne houses. I can find the contact for the man we use. I will be doing more Champagne posts soon on other champagnes in the area soon.

Merci pour cet article

What a wonderful trip, I love champagne and will definitely stop by when I am in next in the area. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for visiting x

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A Busy Girl Trying to Live a Healthy Life in Champagne!

Cheers to Champagne Day! An Exclusive Krug Visit

Cheers to Champagne Day! Every year, the 4th Friday of October toasts the sparkling drink of celebration, my favourite wine, champagne. This year, I would like to share a recent experience that I had thanks to LVMH: an exclusive Krug visit. This famously private champagne house very rarely opens its doors to the public, so this was an incredibly special opportunity.

Krug Champagne is a Champagne House founded by Joseph Krug in 1843. From Reims, France , it is the first and only House to create only prestige Champagnes every year since its foundation. 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.

I am lucky enough to own a bottle of the Krug Grande Cuvée 168 ème Édition . It is a blend of 198 wines from 11 different years. The youngest is from the year 2012, while the oldest dates back to 1996. It has decadent aromas of flowers in bloom, ripe, dried and citrus fruits, as well as marzipan and gingerbread. The mouth offers flavours of hazelnut, nougat, barley sugar, jellied and citrus fruits, almonds, brioche and honey. It is truly gourmand. Something unique about Krug bottles is that every single one has its own unique ID number . This number can be searched on the Krug website/app. It provides all sorts of information about the Édition. But I digress.

Right in the center of Reims, the entrance to the estate is nondescript and can easily be missed. However, once inside the front gate, the estate is beautiful to behold. Built in a classically Champenois style, the House was three separate buildings that were merged together in recent years. Tasteful outdoor decor gives this space a zen-like feeling, even though there is a busy main street on the other side of the walls.

The interior of the House is comfortable and surprisingly modern. A comfortable lounge greets guests, complete with plush seating, warm lighting, and interesting reading material. This space leads to my favourite room: the dining room.

Krug is known for its collaborations with some of the top chefs in the world (their annual Krug x Unique Ingredient is a good example), so it is not surprising that they have mastered  l’art de la table. The room is absolutely stunning! It features table for 12, a chandelier, and all sorts of decorations that are relevant to the House’s history. Music, for example, is an important part of its identity. Krug likens its champagnes to orchestras, where each wine within the blend represents a unique musician. In fact, they collaborate with famous composers to create music for each cuvée to amplify the multisensory tasting experience.

The most important object in this room, however, is actually a small book. Carefully housed in a briefcase, this dark cherry notebook was the very one used by the founder, Joseph Krug, for his son, Paul. In it, he described his philosophies and tasting notes that are still used to this day by the Maison. In fact, the colours of the walls, the outdoor gates, the packaging, and all branding are inspired by this notebook.

One of the most important philosophies from the book is still at the heart of Krug: “A good house should only create two champagnes of the same quality”. The first champagne should represent the fullest expression of champagne every single year. The second champagne should reflect the circumstances of a particular year captured by Krug. Essentially, vintage champagnes (not a blend of multiple years) created in the very best years. The Maison now has 6 different champagnes, but they generally follow these principles.

The fate of the wines is determined by an elite tasting team. Under the Cellar Master, 250 wines of the year and 150 reserve wines are auditioned. They do this in the spectacular tasting room lined with bottles representing these 400 wines. There are 10 speakers hidden in the walls which play music corresponding to the 10 regions of Champagne.

From here, I had the chance to climb underground to the cellars. It is an exciting space, full of history and savoir-faire. Magnums and Jeroboams line the walls. Standard-sized bottles were still maturing in wooden riddling racks. Each bottle is turned a little bit at a time, by hand. This allows the sediment to settle into the neck of the bottle. Candles are still used to check the sediment.

A little further down is the tank room where the Krug Champagnes are blended and stored before they’re bottled. Bright and pristine, these rooms were quite a contrast from the rest of the romantic limestone cellars. But equally as important.

One of the most fascinating parts of the cellars is the liquid library. It houses hundreds of bottles of vintages, with the oldest dating back to 1880! An incredibly rare and interesting find, as German soldiers had pilfered from many champagne houses during their occupation in WWII.

Returning back to the surface, I was guided through rooms of Krug barrels. Small 205-litre oak casks are tailor-made from trees that are more than 200 years old. They come from the forests of Hautes Futaies in Central France. The casks are only used for approximately 40 years. All the letters and numbers represent the plot that the grapes were from.

Remember how I mentioned that Krug collaborates with chefs? Each year, they pick a simple household. The featured chefs must use to create dishes that compliment that year’s Grande Cuvée. At the end of my visit, I was very kindly gifted their new cookbook for this year’s theme: rice. The recipes look incredible and there is lots of information about the chefs, the ingredients, and of course the champagne. All in a dark cherry book.

Overall, this was a very enriching experience. I went behind-the-scenes of one of the most prestigious Champagne Houses in the world. It gave me a profound appreciation for my bottle at home. I am very grateful to LVMH and Krug for this magnificent exclusive Krug visit.

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Blues' Torey Krug: Officially ruled out Friday

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Krug (upper body) will not be in action against the Hurricanes on Friday, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports.

Krug continues to be classified as day-to-day but could be in danger of missing the rest of the regular season. In his last six outings, the 33-year-old defenseman has notched a goal and four assists, including a pair of power-play points. Without Krug in the lineup, Scott Perunovich will likely move up to the No. 1 power-play unit.

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