Welcome and Tour of the Cellars
At Krug, everything revolves around precision, history, and a unique understanding of the individual grapes, and you feel this from the moment you step through the door.
As tradition dictates at Krug, the visit began with a glass of the latest edition of Grande Cuvée, today the 173ème Édition. Then we headed down into the historic cellars, where we saw both the current stocks and the impressive “library” of bottles stretching across decades.
Although Krug still uses the cellars in Reims, much of the production has now moved to their newly built and modern winery in Ambonnay, inaugurated in 2025.
Music, Grapes, and Understanding
In Krug’s tasting room, one of the house’s most characteristic experiences awaited: tasting with music. Three different musical pieces were played—one for Chardonnay, one for Pinot Noir, and a third for Pinot Meunier.
This was not a gimmick but spectacular way to communicate an understanding each grape’s individual character and the way they later come together in the Grande Cuvée..
Tasting the 2008 Vintage
Next followed a tasting of some of the house’s most sought-after bottles:
Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008
Krug Vintage 2008
Grande Cuvée 164ème Édition (based on 2008)
This was a rare opportunity to taste different expressions of a year that Krug themselves consider among the greatest of recent times. Below are my tasting notes and impressions:
Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008
Clos du Mesnil 2008 already appears as an exceptional wine, even in its youth. A combination of crystal-clear precision, chalky minerality, and an almost weightless elegance. The texture is fine and tight yet deeply refined. The wine has a monumental calm, and everything sits perfectly without ever feeling forced.
One can only imagine what heights it will reach over the coming decades.
Krug Vintage 2008
Among the three wines, Krug 2008 is the one that remains most closed. The structure is impressive, but the expression is tight, focused, and clearly in its youthful phase. It promises a lot but requires time to unfold all its layers—the acidity, tension, and cool profile point to enormous aging potential.
It is a wine that may become legendary in the future but currently shows promising depth rather than fully developed charm.
Krug Grande Cuvée 164ème Édition
(primarily based on the 2008 vintage)
The 164ème Édition is currently a study in perfect balance. The aroma is crystal clear, detailed, and impeccably tuned—an aromatic expression that almost stands as an ideal for what Grande Cuvée can be. On the palate it offers both great pleasure and depth, with a texture that is at its absolute peak.
Although it drinks sublimely now, there is no doubt it has many years ahead of it. A wine that shows the best of both Krug’s philosophy and the exceptional 2008 foundation.
When Time and Bottle Size Work Together
At lunch we were treated by a former chef from the three-star Michelin restaurant L’Assiette Champenoise, who served a sublime menu accompanied by a line-up that made the visit unforgettable:
Krug Rosé 29ème Édition
Grande Cuvée 170ème Édition (magnum)
Grande Cuvée 22ème Édition (magnum)
Several editions of both Grande Cuvée and Krug Rosé were served with lunch, all with different ages. Many of the bottles were opened from magnum, once again underlining how much the format means for the wine’s development.
From magnum, the wines appear fresher, deeper, and more harmonious, with slower aging that adds an extra layer of complexity. It is a clear example of how Krug’s blends truly shine when time and bottle size work together.
Visit to Clos du Mesnil
After lunch, we continued toward Mesnil-sur-Oger, where the iconic Clos du Mesnil vineyard lies. We were greeted with a glass of Clos du Mesnil 2009 before walking through the vineyard and receiving an interesting overview of the small, dedicated winery used exclusively for grapes from Clos du Mesnil and the very nearest Chardonnay parcels.
The visit to Krug once again confirmed why the house stands as one of the most fascinating and uncompromising in all of Champagne. The combination of history, craftsmanship, innovation, and deep respect for each grape turns every glass into an experience.
I left with renewed admiration, deeper understanding, and a strong sense that Krug had once again made a profound impression. A place I already look forward to returning to.
