What is Krug Grande Cuvée?

Krug Grande Cuvée is the flagship non-vintage Champagne from Maison Krug, first released in 1843 as the Private Cuvée and renamed in 1978. Each edition blends wines from multiple vintages and hundreds of individual plots, with the goal of making every year exceptional regardless of annual climate variation.

What is in the Krug Grande Cuvée 173rd Edition?

The 173rd Edition blends 150 wines selected from 300 individual plots across 13 different vintages, ranging from 2001 to 2017. The final blend is 44% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay, and 22% Meunier.

Who founded Maison Krug?

Maison Krug was founded in Reims in 1843 by Josef Krug, who had previously worked as house director at Champagne Jacquesson. His vision was to craft the finest Champagne possible every year, regardless of vintage variation.

Olivier Krug Visits K&L: Inside the 173rd Edition Grande Cuvée

K&L Culver City's Champagne Specialist holding a case of Egly-Ouriet Champagne

Recently, K&L Culver City welcomed Olivier Krug—sixth-generation family member and Director of Maison Krug—for a staff education session that turned into something closer to a masterclass. Here's what we took away.

The Dream That Started It All

Josef Krug founded Maison Krug in 1843 and “his dream was to craft the very best Champagne he could offer, every year, regardless of annual climate variations.” Over the succeeding 182 years, Krug has achieved its founder's vision and more.

Olivier defined Maison Krug as “the dream of Josef Krug,” so it’s helpful to know more about Josef and his dream. In 1800, Joann-Josef Krug was born in the city of Mainz, Rhineland, when it was part of Napoleon’s burgeoning empire. The son of a butcher, Josef excelled in financial matters and, by 1834, was resettled in Châlons-sur-Marne working for the legendary Champagne Jacquesson & Fils, where he remained for eight years, rising to the level of house director and partner of Adolphe Jacquesson.

Champagne Jacquesson transformed Josef into a talented winemaker, and he was soon producing blends for other houses. In 1841 Josef married Adolphe’s sister-in-law Anne Emma Jaunay, strengthening his ties to Jacquesson and his adopted homeland. In 1843, Josef and Anne relocated to Reims and launched Maison Krug with silent partners Hippolyte de Vivès. Josef’s vision was to reinvent the idea of how Champagne could be made. Instead of focusing on vintage releases from exceptional years, he set out to make every year exceptional.

Olivier Krug giving a presentation on Krug Champagne at K&L Culver City

Krug’s flagship non-vintage Champagne, and the annual realization of Josef Krug’s dream, is the luxurious Grande Cuvée. There have been 173 editions since Josef released the first vintage in 1843 (called the Private Cuvée until 1978 when the name was changed to Grande Cuvée). As you can imagine, it is a labor of love to produce “the most generous expression of Champagne” year after year. It doesn’t just happen by accident! Olivier pulled back the curtain for us and detailed Krug meticulous process that starts in the vineyard and ends in your glass.

One Plot, One Wine

“One plot, one wine,” is the cornerstone of Krug’s winemaking philosophy. While the Champagne region is just now focusing more on its terroir, behind the scenes Krug has employed a terroir-driven approach for almost two centuries. Each plot produces an exquisite and unique vin clair that will elevate the current year’s blend or become a reserve wine for Grand Cuvées of the future. According to Julie Cavel, Krug’s chef du cave, “There is no hierarchy in our selection; no plot is favored over another. We cultivate the differences and really search for unique characters, respecting this individuality until the blending decisions are made.”

To give insight into the labor-intensive process, this year Krug vinified 300 separate plots. Each was blind tasted twice by Julie and a (very lucky!) Tasting Committee before choosing 150 wines from 13 different vintages for the final blend of 44% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay, and 22% Meunier. The oldest wine is from 2001 and the youngest from 2017, so the 173rd edition is 20 years old in the making and heralds, “a patina of elegance, roundness, and generosity.” As Olivier famously remarked, “Every year the inspiration will be the same, but the creation will be totally unique and different.”

Champagne Expert pouring glasses of Krug Champagne

If you’re wondering if Krug Champagne tastes better when you’re drinking it with Olivier Krug, the answer is “yes.” If you’re wondering if Krug Champagne tastes better when your notes are going into a Krug tasting notebook that’s an homage to Josef Krug’s dark cherry colored notebook where he committed his vision for Maison Krug in 1848, the answer is “yes.” If you’re wondering if we tried the Krug Rosé 28th edition and it tasted like the best strawberries and cream in recorded history, the answer is “yes.” And if you're wondering if Krug lives up to its promise and reputation, the answer is a definitive, irrevocable “YES!”

Thank you to Olivier Krug for taking the time to visit K&L and sharing his passion for Champagne with us!

- Philip Roufail, K&L Culver City Champagne Specialist

What We Tasted

Krug "Grande Cuvée" 173ème Édition Brut Champagne $259.99 96WS 95JD 95VN 94WA The annual realization of Josef's dream. Elegant, round, generous—and now carrying what Olivier calls "a patina" that only two decades of careful reserve winemaking can produce. As Olivier put it: "Every year the inspiration will be the same, but the creation will be totally unique and different."

Krug 28 Ème Édition Brut Rosé Champagne "It tasted like the best strawberries and cream in recorded history."