There are Maisons that have left an indelible mark on the history of Champagne. Krug belongs to that category — perhaps even one of the most emblematic in the eyes of the wider public. Founded in Reims in 1843 by Joseph Krug, the Maison has built over time its own idea of Champagne, shaped by patience and the relentless pursuit of expression. On the occasion of the Italian launch of Les Créations de 2013, we spoke with Olivier Krug, sixth generation of the family, sharing a reflection that spans the past, present and future of the Maison: from the meaning of the Vintage for a house traditionally focused on recreating each year the best possible expression of Champagne regardless of the harvest, to the new chapter represented by the Joseph production site in Ambonnay, passing through the relationship with terroir and the evolution of contemporary Champagne.
For Krug, the Vintage has always been almost an exception to the rule: which vintages does Olivier Krug feel most connected to personally or in the Maison’s history?
For me, 1988 is very important because it was my first vintage. I joined the Maison in 1989 and people talked about it constantly. My father used to tell me: “It may be a great vintage, but you’ll know in thirty years.” Today we can confirm it.
I also love 2003 because it was an impossible year. And yet we managed to craft a Vintage that is delicious and fresh. That is the merit of Krug’s savoir-faire.
I also love very old vintages, like 1966, because like all great wines, great Champagnes benefit from time.
How central is time in Krug’s philosophy?
Time is essential for Krug. It is essential in its length, but also in its slowness.
The inauguration of the new Joseph site in Ambonnay marked an important moment for the Maison’s future: how did you experience the birth of this new “home”?
With great excitement, but also with deep emotion, because we were moving from the Reims site. When I was a child, I lived right above the cellars, so closing that place carried a very strong meaning for me.
But the new “home” of Krug in Ambonnay is extraordinary. It truly meets all our needs: it is close to the vineyard, it allows us to work better, the building is remarkable and it is also more pleasant for the team who works there every day. In ten years, everyone will say it was the natural choice. In fact, it already is today.
Ambonnay and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger immediately evoke Krug’s two legendary Clos: is there a Grand Cru or terroir in Champagne to which you feel particularly attached?
It’s not necessarily a matter of Grand Cru. Today we know the parcels of our grower-partners better and better, and there are parcels that we all recognise every year during blind tastings.
And they are not necessarily in Ambonnay or Avize. It might be a parcel in the Premier Cru of Sacy, or a small Meunier vineyard in the Vallée de la Marne. We have developed a special bond with some of them.
We always taste blind with the team, and every time we say: “What if it’s that parcel?” And in the end, it always comes back.
The Maison has written important chapters in the history of Champagne and of Champagne wines: how do you see their future?
I believe Champagne has experienced both highs and lows over time, but ultimately has always progressed upward.
Today I see a real awareness of terroir, toward thoughtful, sustainable viticulture and much more. I see a new generation of young vignerons and chefs de cave who are truly extraordinary.
And in the markets, people want to hear these terroir stories. They want to know that behind a great Maison there is more than just a legendary name.
I am very confident. I won’t sign for the next six months of sales, but I am very confident about the future of Champagne and of the Champagne region.
