Talk:Champagne Krug

Untitled

This article is laced with opinions, and its a stub.

Written as Advertisement?

The contibutors opening paragraph seems to be written as if it were from a wine connisseur, and really does not stress the origins or importance of Krug in the wine industry. I urge others to conduct careful and accurate research on this beverage and contribute to the article without making it sound like a review in a wine tasting magazine.

Lacking accuracy

I'm changing a fair amount of information on this page, as it is misleading and shows a lack of understanding about wine and in particular the Champagne region's practices. Terroiriste 10:56, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

organoleptically inert oak

Never heard about organoleptically inert oak. Why should they pay for it ? Why should they have additional work with 205 Liter casks ?? --Symposiarch 10:04, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

Organoleptically inert oak is a short way of saying oak barrels which have been used so many times that they no longer impart organoleptic qualities to the wine stored within, only physical properties. It is used to refer to either medium to low toast oak after about 2-3 years, or high toast barrels after 4 years, or large casks which have been cleaned and used so many times that they no longer impart any oak flavour. The mention of 205 litre barrels is to distinguish it from the normal size of barrels, which is either 225 or 228, depending on whether it is Bordeaux or Burgundy barrels. Terroiriste 11:59, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

Oaky?

Oaky is very close to "Okay" and thus looks like a typo. Plus, it just sounds like a stupid, made-up word. I suggest we change it. I realize that it is not, in fact, a made-up word. But it sounds childish. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.88.195.245 (talk) 21:11, 17 January 2013 (UTC)

I would also like to note that we are having this debate in meat-space, so IPs are not all from the same person, which is why I logged in. 280.status.net/douglasawh (talk) 21:13, 17 January 2013 (UTC)

No Advertising

I can understand that you see mention of the stainless steel manufacturer's name as advertising. let me assure you that I do not even know anyone from Laval :) I only put it in, since they are generally recognised as one of the top sources of stainless steel fermenters and most wineries who use them point out that fact. I am of the opinion that if the information is available and unbiased, it is safer to put it in that to leave it out, but I have no opposition to you prefering to leave it off the page, although I would be interested to know if you still stand by that given my explanation. Thanks for taking the time to contribute to this page though :) Terroiriste 12:03, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

I don't think your explanation changes anything. The fact that you don't know anyone from Laval does not justify the inclusion of their name. How can WP editors check that all information provided to WP is unbiased? Impossible. Should we refer to the names of the can and bottle companies that supply Coca-Cola just because they are recognised as one of the top sources for such materials? Of course not. Alanmoss 12:52, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

would you also mention the dry yeast they use, I am sure they buy it also from a renowned company ? Anyway yeast would have an influence on the product, while stainless steel shouldn't have an influence at all.--Symposiarch 13:01, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

Citations Needed?

Does this article need more citations? I can't seem to see any. I'm rather new to editing Wikipedia so I'm not entirely sure, but certain parts of the article seem like generalizations. It is otherwise a very good article. I hope that the talented people who worked on it can fill in the blanks? For example, the line; "As a wine, it is considered almost unanimously by connoisseurs of Champagne as the most prestigious house in Champagne, with the possible exception of Champagne Salon, depending on the individual taster's preferences." It seems like it needs a source. Who said it? Where was it said? What connoisseurs? Etc. It seems like weasel words to me. Again, I'm a newbie, but I'll go ahead and add a citation notation. I also think it needs some more in various places, but I'm a bit unsure where to add them. I hope some more experienced editors can work on the article? -- Dee 09:44, 13 June 2007 (UTC)

What's disappointing is that claims in the article aren't even linked to specific sources. If I were writing an advert-article for a product, I'd be sure to 'cite' some offline sources in order to give it the veneer of verifiability. Rogerborg (talk) 09:15, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

Regarding the "controversy" section, here are some more citations (if needed) http://laughingsquid.com/krug-champagne-exploits-burning-man-event-with-staged-photoshoot/ http://www.metafilter.com/116024/Beaucoup-Boo-Krug 70.179.21.51 (talk) 17:44, 18 May 2012 (UTC)

WikiProject Food and drink Tagging

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Collaborative project with The House of Krug

Hi everyone,

I hope this message finds you well.

I am writing to you because I work for Krug and am currently involved in a project concerning Wikipedia.

The House of Krug is very enthusiastic about the different Wikipedia pages you have written and moderated and would like to form stronger relations with all experienced contributors who have worked on articles about Krug on Wikipedia, as well as with Champagne and wine enthusiasts in general. Our wish is to be part of the collaborative process you have established and, with your help, to create an article that is neutral, informative and thorough. Ultimately we would like to use the content of this collaborative work as the basis for Wikipedia articles in other languages in order to maintain consistency and to further share knowledge about the House of Krug.

We would like to work with your guidance and share additional information about Krug with you – information which would be a great contribution to Wikipedia’s continuous improvement.

If you are interested by this project, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be delighted to discuss it with you further.

Kind regards,

--Champagne Krug (talk) 08:20, 26 August 2011 (UTC)

Ah, my favorite Champagne. The bottle in File:Bottle of Champagne Krug.JPG is one of many Krugs that I've enjoyed :) First off, I want to say that I appreciate your transparency and willingness to engage Wikipedia editors on the article's talk page to work collaboratively on improving the article. That is certainly a breath of fresh air on winery articles where we often have to deal with serious serious conflicts of interest from wineries who want to turn their articles into wine guide entries or WP:ADVERT sales brochures. The fact that you are committed to writing a WP:NPOV article is certainly a good sign and, again, as a wine editor we greatly appreciate this approach.

I've been the primary editor on several Champagne related articles including Champagne (wine region), History of Champagne, Classification of Champagne vineyards, Grower Champagne and have done quite a bit of work with the Champagne (wine) and Champagne production articles as well. I will certainly be willing to help out with improving this article.

The first thing that we need to do is to identify which areas of the article can be improved and what are the reliable sources that we can use to improve it. While the information on your own website is useful, ideally, we try to reference articles to sources that are independent of the subject. This can be press articles from magazines or newspapers or books. I have a fair amount of wine books and will start looking for sources on my end but any help you can give us in point out sound reliable sources would be immensely helpful.

You may also want to consider creating a draft page that is attached to your account such as Krug article draft where you can add text and information that you think should belong to the article. The wine project editors can then assist in integrating some of the material from your draft into the article and to insure that it is neutral and compliant with Wikipedia policies.

Another item that you may want to consider is releasing some images for Free use images that are acceptable to use on Wikipedia in accordance to our Wikipedia:Image use policy. The Krug bottle picture that I snapped is one example of an image that I freely released to Wikipedia. But since I'm not a professional photographer, obviously much better images can be used. For more information on what kind of copyright tags can be used to upload photos with see Wikipedia:File copyright tags.

I hope this info has helped. I will keep an eye on this talk page and continue to assist. Agne^Cheese/^Wine 19:16, 26 August 2011 (UTC)

Collaborative project with The House of Krug

Hi everyone,

I post here a conversation we had with one contributor. You can see here how we would like to work with you.

This project is open to every one. Thanks for helping us to make a great page. Many thanks for your interest for Krug.

Champagne Krug (talk) 11:55, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

---

Hi,

I just received a first version of the plan we would like to work on with Wikipedia's contributors.

As you can see, we are thinking about creating new section and complete some existing sections to be as complete as possible. It also contains some possible modifications we'd like to propose to Wikipedia, if you are ok with that. What do you think about this plan? Is that coherent for you? Do you think it respects Wikipedia's rules?

Once the structure of the page has been validated by the community, in a second way, we will share with you and other interested people, content we are thinking to add in these sections.

I think we will particularly need your help to adapt this content to be sure to respect Wikipedia's rules. We are trying to be as neutral as possible, but being professionals, we use to have bad language habits :)

Again, many thanks for your help. In addition, we are absolutely open to discussion, so do not hesitate to ask us any information you consider relevant for this page, we will do our possible to give you this information.

Best regards. Champagne Krug (talk) 09:57, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

KRUG / WIKIPEDIA / PROPOSED PLAN

Title: Change current title (Champagne Krug) to Krug Champagne

Introductory paragraph: Simplify the content somewhat to make the page more accessible. Introduce all the subjects that will be dealt with in greater detail subsequently.

Images: replace the current logo with the new one, and perhaps add images of Joseph Krug, the cellars, bottles of Krug, old advertising images, etc.

Contents: Modify both the order of the contents (with a view to making the page more accessible) and the terminology (to make it more in keeping with the Krug history).

Current structure	Proposed new structure
1. History of the House	1. History of the House
2. Vineyards	2. Champagnes
3. Oenology	3. Winemaking
4. Wines	4. Vineyards
5. Marketing	5. Vintages + Collection + Clos years
6. References	6. Philosophy
7. Further reading	7. Quotes
8. External links	8. References
	9. Further reading
	10. External links

♦ History of the House Update and modify the texts to talk about the history of the House.

Aspects to be included:

• A more detailed biography of Joseph Krug
• Joseph Krug's notebook (quotes from the notebook + images)
• The six generations of the Krug family
• Famous Krug lovers and the presence of Krug at various historic moments
• Olivier Krug
• The role of Eric Lebel + of other members of the winemaking team
• The creation of Krug Rosé, Krug Clos d'Ambonnay and Krug Clos du Mesnil

♦ Champagnes Update the names of the champagnes and give a brief description of the particularities of each cuvee and incorporate some quotes from wine critics (if allowed?)

• Krug Grande Cuvée: blending, reserve wines, recreation of the same taste every year, its bouquet, its taste.
• Krug Rosé: same spirit of recreation as with KGC, "a Krug before it is a Rosé", its bouquet, its taste.
• Krug Vintage: the character of each year, talk about the bouquet and taste of the latest vintage
• Krug Collection
• Krug Clos du Mesnil: a single vineyard, a single grape variety, a single year
• Krug Clos d'Ambonnay: a single vineyard, a single grape variety, a single year

♦ Winemaking Develop the text about the practice of winemaking at Krug and the House's savoir-faire.

♦ Vintages + Collection + Clos years Compile a list of all the years in which Krug has created a Vintage or a Clos + the Collection years

♦ Philosophy Talk about the founding principles of the House of Krug: savoir-faire, the importance of excellence, of blending, and of time. (be neutral)

Relationship with Krug lovers (?)

Mention the House's collaboration with artists who share the same values (Scarlett Hooft Graafland).

♦ Quotes Quotes concerning Krug said by historical characters.

Comments

Hello! I just got back from vacation and haven't got an opportunity to look at this too in-depth. But right off the bat the one section that jumps out as problematic will be the "Relationship with Krug lovers". That would be incredibly difficult to write in a neutral fashion that doesn't come across as an WP:ADVERT. Similarly, we will need to be careful with the quotes so that they don't come across as WP:TRIVIA. However, I can possible see a scenario where some of this information may fit in the Champagne in popular culture article (with reliable sources of course). I will give this a more thorough look over tomorrow but so far it looks like a good start. :) Agne^Cheese/^Wine 18:11, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Hi Agne27, I hope that you got great time during your vacation! Many thanks again for helping us on Wikipedia and for your kind comments. I agree with your message (actually, that's why I put a "?", because I know that being absolutely neutral in this section could be problematic). We are waiting some feedbacks from other contributors (if you know any interested people, do not hesitated to bring them on this discussion). If the suggested plan is accepted, we will start to share progressively content, section by section. About that : is it better to share this content on the discussion page, and then to integrate it directly in the article, or should we directly integrate this content in the article and then edit it ? Our team is working on this content, we will share it as soon as possible. Again, many thanks. Kind regards. Champagne Krug (talk) 08:13, 13 September 2011 (UTC)

Collaborative project with The House of Krug

Hi everybody.

Being currently very busy on our digital project, we decided to delay our collaborative project to be sure to have time to discuss with you. We will back soon.

Thanks a lot for your time and your interest.

--Champagne Krug (talk) 09:29, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Collaborative project with The House of Krug

Hello all,

Happy to be back on Wikipedia after a few months of planning and hard work.

I still want to use the resources and collective knowledge to work together in drafting the best possible article. On my user page, you will find a message from the President & CEO of the House of Krug explaining the aim of this page, as well as the reasoning behind it.

As previously mentioned, I have been working to complete the article and verify the accuracy of the content, while respecting the Wikipedia guidelines. My overall goal is to create an excellent article.

I will also be publishing my article on the Talk page so that you can have a look at it, your comments and help us to fully satisfy our obligations to the Wikipedia community.

We hope that our transparency will offer reassurance of our commitment to respecting the principle and spirit of the Wikipedia contribution rules.

Enjoy contributing!

--Tristan.sbry (talk) 09:17, 25 January 2013 (UTC)

Krug Champagne is a Champagne house founded by Joseph Krug in 1843. It is based principally in Reims, the main city in France’s Champagne region and is one of the famous Champagne houses that formed part of the Grande Marques. Today Krug Champagne forms part of the LVMH wine division. It offers five cuvees built around a philosophy of “no hierarchy” among its Champagnes and created using a unique combination of winemaking methods. The individual selection and vinification of the grapes from each of the different vineyards that contribute to Krug champagnes are key to their creation. The individual character of Krug Champagnes continues right down to each bottle, which, since summer 2011, possesses its own Krug ID, a six-digit number which serves as a portal to further information about that bottle. In recent years, the House has put into place a programme known as “Krug Lovers” for Krug aficionados to share their vision and experiences of Krug online.

HISTORY OF THE HOUSE Joseph Krug founded the House of Krug in 1843. He was born Johann-Joseph Krug, a butcher’s son, in Mainz, on the Rhine, in 1800, at a time when the city was part of the Napoleonic Empire. Having dispensed with the name Johann, he left Mainz in 1824 (footnote) and by 1834 he was in Paris (footnote). Germans were then much in demand in France as accountants and book-keepers and, as such, Joseph joined Champagne Jacquesson in Châlons-sur-Marne (footnote).

He spent eight years with Jacquesson, with his work taking him beyond accountancy as he went on the road around Europe testing the market and assessing criticism from wine sellers and customers (footnote). Crucially, he learned about composition and taste so that by 1840 he already seems to have been blending Champagne for at least one other house. In 1841 he married Emma-Anne Jaunay, the daughter of a French hotelier based in London’s Leicester Square, and an English mother. The following year their son, Paul Krug, was born. In 1842 came the move to Reims and, following a year of negotiations, Krug et Cie. was founded in 1843 with sleeping partner Hyppolite de Vivès. Joseph, meticulous as an administrator and, vitally, as a blender, was also fluent in French, English and German and spoke some Russian. Thus was the company well placed both to build a name and to exploit key overseas markets. Joseph put his thoughts on blending and composition into his still existent notebook – which, says the House, continues to inform its practice.

Joseph died in 1866 and was succeeded by his son Paul Krug, who had been trained by his father for the business in France and abroad. Joseph had laid the foundations and under the supervision of Paul the House was established as a grande marque. By the 1880s the prestige of Krug was acknowledged in the United Kingdom, then the primary overseas market for Champagne. In 1866 the House moved into the premises in Rue Coquebert, in Reims, that it still occupies.

After Paul’s death in 1910, he was succeeded by his son, Joseph Krug II. However, during World War I Joseph II was taken prisoner and his wife Jeanne played a key role in the House, at a time when the Western Front divided the region between the Allies and the Germans. After the war, Joseph II’s slow recovery led to his nephew Jean Seydoux becoming joint manager in 1924. In that decade, too, the Krug 1926 and 1928 vintages were created, which have been considered by critics to be amongst the greatest Champagnes. The lawyer and wine writer Maurice Healey observed in 1940 that “Krug holds my allegiance as the king of them all; my recollection does not go beyond the Krug 1919, but that was truly an excellent wine. And Krug 1928 must be the best wine made in the present century.”

By the mid-1930s, Paul Krug II, the son of Joseph II, was active in the business and would go on to become head of the House from 1959 to 1977. His father only died in 1967, by which time he was, according to Raymond Forbes, “one of the most popular and respected figures in the Champagne district”.

In 1962 Henri Krug, the son of Paul II, joined the management, as did his brother Remi three years later. Their arrival was followed by a series of innovations, including extensions in the range of Champagnes. In 1979, for the first time, a graduate winemaker joined the House. In January 1999 the House became part of LVMH and by 2007, the brothers, while remaining on the tasting committee, had stepped down from day-to-day responsibilities. In 2009 Olivier Krug, the son of Henri, became House director. Like most of the companies in the LVMH group, Krug runs with a certain amount of autonomy. This perceived – and real – autonomy has played a large role in maintaining the House's reputation and consistent style.

PHILOSOPHY Krug’s philosophy, as established by founder Joseph Krug, is based on the principle of never blending what is not already known individually. As he wrote in his notebook: “One cannot obtain a good wine without using good elements and good terroirs. We may have obtained seemingly good cuvees by using ordinary or even mediocre elements and wines, but these are exceptions that one must never count on. Otherwise, there is a risk that one’s process will fail or one’s reputation will be ruined.”

Therefore, every plot yields its own wine which is tasted and preserved before ever being blended into a Krug cuvee. In this way, only excellent-quality elements make their way into Krug Champagne.

Krug defines its approach as the pursuit of character in its Champagne, with great importance given to quality, the individual vinification and time itself. The company offers a limited number of bottles and accords strict attention to every aspect of the winemaking process from plot selection to ageing (see Winemaking).

According to the House, its goal is thus to offer only quality Champagnes that respect the individuality of each grower and plot, without hierarchy. Its founder, Joseph Krug, defined a good Champagne House as having only two cuvees of equal quality. Hence to this day, Krug offers only prestige cuvees. It also maintains a library of 150 reserve wines – all kept individually – allowing it to recreate Krug Grande Cuvee and Krug Rosé on yearly basis (see Champagnes).

The House also emphasises that primary fermentation occurs completely in small oak barrels (see Winemaking), a practice no longer commonplace in Champagne but essential to the House’s approach, as the use of tanks during this step would require wines to be blended before being known individually.

CHAMPAGNES Krug produces mainly Krug Grande Cuvée, supplemented by a non-vintage rosé, a vintage blanc, a vintage blanc de blancs from the Clos du Mesnil in the Cotes de Blancs, a vintage blanc de noirs from the Clos d’Ambonnay and older vintages released as Krug Collection series.

Krug distinguishes itself as a producer of only prestige cuvees. It justifies this by pointing out the large number of high-rated crus and the choice of vintages as well as the extended lees ageing regime that contribute to the creation their non-vintage wine, Krug Grande Cuvée. The House considers these to be similar, if not greater, than those of most other house's prestige cuvees. Certainly the price of Krug wines is much higher than other Champagne, with even Krug Grande Cuvée priced higher than other highly regarded prestige cuvees such as Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne, Moet's Dom Perignon, Veuve's La Grande Dame, Bollinger's RD, etc.

On the nose, Krug is characterised by toasted, grilled, pastry or almond notes born from at least 6 years of ageing ''sur lies''. On the palate, Krug is characterised by notes of fresh fruit, particularly citrus, and a freshness linked to grape selection. Krug does not suppress malolactic fermentation nor does it provoke it, with the majority of its wines not undergoing the process. Its wines are almost invariably dry (never more than 6.5g/l residual sugar).

The Krug line-up of Champagnes currently includes:

• Indented line Krug Grande Cuvée
• Indented line Krug Rosé
• Indented line Krug Vintage 1998 and Krug Vintage 2000
• Indented line Krug Collection 1989
• Indented line Krug Clos du Mesnil 1998 and Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000
• Indented line Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1996 and Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998

Krug Grande Cuvée is a blend of over 120 wines coming from ten or more different vintages – some up to fifteen years in age – and three grape varieties (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier) from numerous vineyards. It is re-created on a yearly basis. In total, over twenty years are required to create a bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée, including at least six years during which the bottle sits in the Krug cellars. It is distinguished by its deep golden colour and fine bubbles. In 2012, Wine Spectator described it as “A smoky, intense wine, with layer upon layer of coffee, roasted nut, golden piecrust, ripe apple, honey and spice flavors.”

Krug Grande Cuvée is consistently rated one of the world’s best Champagnes by wine critics: in 2012, Wine Spectator awarded it 95/100 points, while the previous year Australia’s Good Wine Guide gave it 96/100 and France’s Guide Bettane & Desseauve gave it 19/20 calling it “superbly refined” and “magnificently aromatic”.

Krug Rosé is described by the House as a gastronomic champagne. The fruit of an experiment carried out by Henri and Rémi Krug in the 1970s, the first bottles of Krug Rosé were presented for tasting in 1983, 140 years after the company’s founding. Paul Krug II, then head of the House, immediately declared it “first and foremost a Krug before being a Rosé”. Krug Rosé is a blend of three grape varieties, several different vintages from Krug’s library of 150 reserve wines and a skin-fermented Pinot Noir wine which gives it its colour and unique flavour. Krug Rosé spends at least five years in the House’s cellars. It is re-created on a yearly basis.

Krug Rosé has been described by Wine Spectator as “rich and smoky… layered with black cherry, date, coffee and orange peel flavours” and by wine critic James Halliday as a “cupboard of dried flowers and a handful of spice… with nutty Christmas cake nuances.” It received a 95/100 and 19/20 rating from Wine Spectator and Guide Bettane & Desseauve respectively, in 2011.

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.” Composed only of wines from a single year, Krug Vintage sits in Krug’s cellars for at least a decade before release. Krug currently offers two vintages: Krug Vintage 1998 and Krug Vintage 2000.

Krug Vintage 1998 is a blend of three grape-varieties from numerous plots. It is only the second Krug Vintage, after 1981, in which Chardonnay dominates. In 2011, The Sydney Morning Herald called it “complex” and “a staggeringly great Champagne… with real precision and focus” rating it 97/100. That same year, Guide Gilbert & Gaillard gave it a perfect rating of 100/100.

Krug Vintage 2000, born of the House’s desire to create a vintage for the last year of the millennium, is also a blend of three grape varieties from many plots. In this case, however, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are represented in similar proportions with a touch of Pinot Meunier. It represents a climatically chaotic season that saw a bountiful harvest. In 2012, Wine Spectator described it as “tightly knit… finely textured and expressive… remaining racy and focused through to the lasting, lightly briny finish” and gave it a 95/100 rating.

In the early 1980’s, Krug introduced’ Krug Collection,' an extension of Krug Vintage, consisting of bottles that have been kept in the House’s cellars in Reims for at least ten additional years to allow the development of second-life aromas and flavours. The current offering is Krug Collection 1989. It is the first vintage from the trilogy of 1988, 1989 and 1990 to be released as part of Krug Collection, preceding 1988 upon the House’s decision.

Wine Spectator rated it 97/100 in 2012, describing it as “[beautifully focused] on the details, from the lacy texture to the vibrant acidity to the notes of cardamom and tea rose accenting finely meshed flavors of freshly ground coffee, honeycomb, kumquat, oyster shell and a hint of dried apricot.” Krug Collection bottles are numbered in descending order according to their rarity. Krug guarantees them with a certificate of authenticity signed by Olivier Krug, available upon request.

Krug Clos du Mesnil comes from a single plot (known as a clos in French) of Chardonnay: a 1.84-hectare vineyard protected by walls since 1698 in the centre of Mesnil-sur-Oger, a village in the Champagne region of France. It comes from a single year and is kept in Krug’s cellars for over a decade. The House currently offers Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000, and maintains some bottles of Krug Clos du Mesnil 1998 on reserve.

Krug Clos du Mesnil 1998 is the fifth Krug Clos du Mesnil of the 1990s, after 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996. In 2010, Wine Enthusiast gave it a perfect 100/100 rating, calling it “a great wine, at the summit of Champagne, a sublime unforgettable experience.” In 2012,’‘ Wine Spectator gave it a 97/100, describing “expressive notes of orchard blossom, hazelnut, dried apricot, pastry, lemon cream and crystallized pineapple… [with] a long, mouth-watering finish.” 12,000 bottles were produced, each individually numbered.

Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000 was rated 97/100 and described by wine critic Tom Cannavan as “nutty, orange marmalade richness… over a broad fruit base” in 2011, while in 2012 Wine Spectator gave it a 98/100 and spoke of its “finely detailed texture and… overall elegance.” Krug produced 11,390 bottles, each individually numbered.

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay also comes from a single year, and its grapes from a single 0.68-hectare walled plot of Pinot Noir in the heart of Ambonnay, another village in France’s Champagne region that plays a key role in Champagne making.Bottles are aged for over twelve years in Krug’s cellars and are relatively rare due to the small size of the vineyard. The House currently offers Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998, and maintains some bottles of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1996 on reserve.

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1996 is only the second Champagne ever created from the plot, after 1995. Wine critic Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW gave it a 98/100 rating in 2011, describing aromas of “apple tart, lightly toasted hazelnuts, orange blossom, brioche, and granola with subtle nuances of crushed stones, musk and honeycomb” while critic Antonio Galloni gave it a 97+ rating and called it “decidedly focused and mineral-driven.” Krug produced 3,000 bottles, each individually numbered.

Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1998 was described as possessing “toast-laden aromatic notes” by wine critic Tom Stevenson, who rated it a perfect 20/20 for World of Fine Wine. In 2012, Wine Spectator described it as “rich and expressive… fresh and focused throughout”, giving it a 95/100. Krug produced 4,760 bottles, each individually numbered.

WINEMAKING Krug utilises all three Champagne varieties in their wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. For their two single vineyard vintages, Krug Clos du Mesnil is made in the ''Blanc de blancs'' style, completely from Chardonnay, while Krug Clos d’Ambonnay is made exclusively from Pinot Noir.

The winemaking process at Krug begins with the individual selection of each plot of vines (see Vineyards) and continues with the initial vinification of the grapes from each plot in wooden casks, which – unlike tanks – are small enough to give the House the flexibility to hold a single a single plot’s wine and therefore avoid pre-mature blending. In the event that a plot’s wine is not up to the required level, it will leave the house as a bulk, never again to be labelled a Krug base wine.

Pressing and initial fermentation Immediately following the harvest, the grapes are pressed close to Krug’s plots, with this first grape juice kept for 24 hours in a vat in preparation for the fermentation stage.

The pressing from each plot is vinified separately. A pressing contains 4,000 kilos of grapes and yields 20.5 hectolitres of first juice (the “cuvée”), which is poured into twelve oak casks chosen at random. Once fermentation is complete, the eleventh and twelfth casks are used to top up the other ten casks in order to protect the new wines from oxidation. For fifteen days, each cask is topped up with wine from the same plot.

Krug uses small 205-litre oak casks tailor-made from trees are is more than two centuries old in the forests of Hautes Futaies in Central France. Krug never use these casks immediately; during the first two or three years, they receive only second and third grape juices, with the goal of “tanning” the casks through the fermentation process, ridding them naturally of their woody aromas, making them well-seasoned and organoleptically inert. The average age of Krug oak casks is 20 years. They are retired after approximately 40 years of use.

During the summer preceding the harvest, casks are regularly watered to humidify the wood, a process Krug deems essential as its wines are not wood-aged and its casks therefore empty for eight to nine months of the year.

The wines remain in the casks for several weeks. During this period, clarification occurs naturally from the cool temperature of the cellar given the coming winter, as does a micro-oxygenation process from the use of natural containers, making the wine more resistant to oxygen over time. Finally, between December and January, the wine is drawn off into small stainless-steel vats. From here, depending on the decisions of Krug’s tasting committee, the wines will either contribute to the that year’s assemblage or be stored in steel vats in the House’s library of 150 reserve wines to be used in the blend of a future Krug Grande Cuvée and Krug Rosé.

The tasting committee and the assemblage
Over a period of five months in autumn and winter, the base wines and the reserve wines are tasted by the members of the tasting committee, composed of five permanent members (Olivier Krug, representing the sixth generation of the Krug family; Eric Lebel, Krug cellar master and winemaker; Julie Cavil and Raphaele Leon-Grillon, who make up the Krug winemaking team; and Laurent Halbin, head of winemaking operations) and three members present according to their availability (Rémi and Henri Krug and Maggie Henriquez, President and CEO of Krug).

At each session, between 15 and 18 samples are blind tasted, commented on and scored. During the tasting period, wine from each plot is carefully referenced, tasted at least two or three times and given a mark out of 20. By the end of December, the tasting committee establishes what Krug calls a "character sketch" of the year and begins tasting the 150 reserve wines from which it will draw the missing elements needed to re-create the character of Krug Grande Cuvée year after year.

In the spring, a second tasting session of wines from the year reveals how the wines have evolved over the winter period. Eric Lebel then proposes up to three blends for the Champagnes of that year, with each member of the committee having one vote. Once the blend has been decided, the House prepares for bottling which takes place once a year between April and May.

The cellars All Krug Champagnes are bottled during a single session, thirty weeks after the harvest. Once bottled, they are kept in the House’s cellars in Reims. Krug characterises this final stage of its winemaking process by very extended ageing on the lees. Indeed, Krug’s main champagne, Krug Grande Cuvée stays in the cellars for at least six years, Krug Rosé for five years, and Krug Vintage, Krug Clos du Mesnil and Krug Clos d’Ambonnay for at least ten years.

VINEYARDS The House owns 30% of the vineyards that produce its wines – a relatively high percentage in Champagne-making – with 20 hectares of vines in Ambonnay, Aÿ, Le Mesnil and Trépail. It obtains the rest of its grapes from long-term contract growers for a total of 250 plots selected from the 270,000 listed in France’s Champagne region. Seventy to one hundred winegrowers currently work with Krug, providing 65% to 70% of the company’s grapes. Unlike other suppliers, they consider themselves part of a long-standing prestigious House, openly revealing Krug as the destination of their grapes. Additionally, because Krug preserves the individual character of each wine, winegrowers are able to taste each of the wines selected from their plots and follow their evolution over time in the event that their wines are selected as Krug reserve wines.

Clos du Mesnil In 1971, on the strength of a telephone call, Rémi and Henri Krug purchased six hectares of vines around the renowned Chardonnay village of Mesnil-sur-Oger. Upon their initial visit, they discovered that their purchase included a walled vineyard of a mere 1.85 acres located in the heart of the village and bearing an inscription: “In the year 1698, this wall was built by Claude Jannin and Pierre Dehée Metoen and in the same year the vines were planted by Gaspard Jannin, son of Claude.”

Krug stresses that the wall and unusual location in the centre of the village create a micro-climate that accords a unique character to its grapes. It was for this reason that the House was inspired to devote a Champagne to a single plot for the first time in its history, resulting in Krug Clos du Mesnil 1979, presented in 1986.

Clos d’Ambonnay Following Krug Clos du Mesnil, Rémi and Henri Krug turned their attention to Pinot Noir grapes, in particular those from Ambonnay, a grand cru known for its Pinot Noir that had been a main source of supply for Krug since its founding. In 1991, after seven years of searching, they found a walled plot of just 0.68 hectares on the edge the village, on the south-eastern slope of the Montagne de Reims. Like the Clos du Mesnil, the plot was also surrounded by protective walls, which date back to the year 1766, although in this case the vineyard itself was not planted until the 20th century. Krug purchased the land in 1994 and released its first vintage – Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1995 – in 2007.

KRUG LOVERS In 2011, Krug launched a community of Krug aficionados who share a love for Krug. The House-created programme offers a platform for stories, inspirations and favourite getaways and is open to the public via registration on the Krug.com website. Among Krug Lovers are many wine and Champagne specialists, as well as numerous chefs, restaurateurs and artists. The program features member profiles and their collaborations with Krug, such as a drawing created by Italian illustrator Gianluca Biscalchin following Krug’s Grand Musée de Beaux-Arts event, the Krug Room at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong from chef Uwe Opocensky, or a series of photographs by Dutch artist Scarlett Hooft Graafland, commissioned by Krug.

KRUG ID Since summer 2011, all bottles of Krug Champagne feature a KRUG ID located on the left-hand side of the back label. This six-digit number – with the first digit indicating the quarter in which the bottle left Krug’s cellars and the following two digits indicating the year – serves as a reference for wine collectors and a portal to further information about that particular bottle. The latter can be accessed via the KRUG ID box at the bottom right-hand corner of the Krug.com website.

For Krug Grande Cuvées, the KRUG ID reveals the oldest and youngest wines that went into the making of the bottle, as well as the details and challenges of that particular season. For other Krug cuvees, the KRUG ID recounts the story of the year, the objectives behind the creation of the specific bottle or the behaviour of the plots.

THE JOSEPH GLASS In 2011 Krug partnered with the House of Riedel to create a glass whose aim is to enhance the experience of Champagne. Riedel initially presented fifteen glasses to Krug, out of which two were chosen. This in turn led to thirteen prototypes and ultimately the selection of the Joseph glass, whose ample shape resembles that of a white-wine glass. The House of Krug underlines the importance of a suitably sized glass as opposed to a flute to allow for the full expression of Champagne.

QUOTES “It is not possible to make a good wine except from good elements…” – Joseph Krug, Founder of the House of Krug, 1848

“The Krug way demands an attention to detail which, across more than one hundred and sixty years, has followed every plot, every wine, through every stage of creation.” – Maggie Henriquez, President and CEO, 2009

“The style and quality of Krug are built on a combination of factors which are intertwined. Every detail contributes to the whole, but the details mean little if they are disconnected from the whole.” – Henri Krug, 2012

“We could say in jest that creating a Krug cuvee is similar to making a ratatouille…You can cook all the vegetables together in a pressure cooker and it is ready in 20 minutes. Or you decide to preserve and respect the character of each vegetable by cooking it separately and then mixing all the vegetables together at the end… At Krug, we endeavour to harness the best of each plot, to leave it the time it needs for its grapes to fully express their potential, and only then to blend them with others...” – Julie Cavil, Krug winemaker

“Krug’s 150 years stand for something more important in my book: an almost complete refusal to compromise or pander to modern Champagne tastes. Krug, with its golden colour, hazelnutty bouquet and extraordinarily long, firm, full taste is the king of Champagne.” – Jane McQuitty, The Times London, 27 February 1993

“John le Carré wrote a bottle of Krug into one of his books. Rémi sent him a magnum to say ‘thanks’, and le Carré wrote back, saying he had been introduced to Krug by Alec Guinness. So the chain evolves.” – Jon Ashworth, The Times London, 30 September 1995

“The grandeur of Krug Champagnes is not the result of chance. It is based on real savoir-faire, incredible meticulousness in all details and a unique taste that must be recreated each year so that nothing changes.” – Bernard Burtschy, Le Figaro, 10 June 2010

“People remember the first time they ever drank Krug... and I recall my first experience, a day in 1977, well enough. That first whiff was intriguing, that first sip a revelation... I realized this was a whole new experience.” – Dan Berger, Los Angeles Times

“You become a Krug Lover by virtue of taste – or rather good taste...” – Jo Gryn, Le Marché

“Those who are devoted to Krug have as much character as their Champagne of choice. Maria Callas, Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel, Anne de Noailles... all drink Krug because they love it.” – Katia D. Kaupp, Le Nouvel Observateur

“Whoever drinks Krug, at whatever moment, makes a small contribution to improving understanding between men, as it is impossible to feel bitter or jealous after tasting such nectar.” – Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine, Head of Sotheby's International Wine Department

“I love Champagne, preferably Krug Grande Cuvée.” – Dame Stella Rimington, former Director General of the British MI5 Security Service

BURNING MAN CONTROVERSY In 2011, Krug, with the Silkstone events agency, shot a marketing campaign at the Burning Man festival in Nevada. Festival-goers were told they were attending a birthday party, but were filmed and photographed as part of this campaign. The Burning Man organization posted an exposé on their blog, rebuking Krug for breaking many rules of the festival both in letter and spirit, including product placement, photography for commercial gain and leaving behind a mess. Members of the Burning Man community denounced the campaign and Krug in various social media.

REFERENCES

-- why is a marketing person working for Krug writing any portion of this article? 173.247.202.120 (talk) 03:37, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

Hello, Your interrogation is well-founded. If you want, you can have a look at my talk page for having a better understanding of my aim [[1]]

Besides you will also find discussions that I had with [[2]] about the topic you raised. Do not hesitate to discuss it further with us.

Concerning the article, I have already started a discussion with a contributor. You can visit the talk about it here [[3]] and participate. --Tristan.sbry (talk) 14:27, 4 April 2013 (UTC)

Note that I changed the section headers to bold to make it clearer that the is one proposal, not several unrelated talk section topics. I also moved the comments down to the bottom, and added a {{request edit}} tag to invite more users to comment. GoingBatty (talk) 00:35, 21 October 2013 (UTC)

Can we change the photos of Champagne Krug article?

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Hello everyone,

As you know, I work with Krug and am currently involved in a project concerning Wikipedia. In the last few months, Krug have updated the brand. This situation cause new changes and concern their communication on digital networks.

I want to highlight that the photos currently displaying on Champagne Krug’ Wikipedia article don’t fit in with the new brand image of Krug. That’s why Krug want to know if it might be possible to change the photos that are included on the article. And replace them with new photos that are similar to those which appear on the article.

I would like to know if anyone can update this information because I can’t edit the article myself.

Kind regards

Tristan.sbry (talk) 13:03, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

Thank you for reaching out with this request to have an edit done on Champaigne Krug. I understand that you would like to add new images to reflect the new face of Krug and its products. It is very simple. Just upload the photos to Wikimedia commons using the form here. You would need to ensure that you own the copyright of those photos and that you are releasing the said photos under the creative commons 3.0 licence or the public domain licence.Once you do that then post the link of uploaded photos here so that I can go ahead to assist with the update. Fedelis4198 (talk) 06:03, 22 October 2013 (UTC)

Hi Fedelis

Thank you very much for helping me in this project. Indeed, Krug want to add new photos that will reflect the new image of Krug and its products. And it also wants to modify some elements of Champagne Krug article in order to create an excellent article. Few months ago I published on the talk page of Champagne Krug a new version of this article, respecting the Wikipedia guidelines. I would like to know if the community agrees this new version. You can check it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Champagne_Krug In order to be transparent and to confirm the consent of the community, Krug want that the article and the photos are published by a community user.

Could you be able to publish this article and photos? If you’re ok with this, I will send you the photos as soon as possible.

King regards,

Tristan.sbry (talk) 09:23, 23 October 2013 (UTC)

As explained by Fedelis4198 above, you should first upload the images to Commons:. This is a different project, essentially just a repository of images. There are no issues with COI with uploading Commons images. Once you have done that you can link to them here and make a new request to have them inserted in the article. SpinningSpark 11:34, 22 May 2014 (UTC)

External links modified

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