Champagne and Krug — A Look Inside the Legendary House and their Commitment to Excellence
Last night, I finished reading a book titled, “Champagne, Uncorked — The House of Krug and the Timeless Allure of the World’s Most Celebrated Drink”. The book, a modest quick read of some 240 pages is centered on its author, Alan Tardi, who’d been given unprecedented access into the inner workings of Krug. An accomplished Food and Wine writer, Tardi takes us through a full year’s journey (the year being 2013) from harvest to bottle. His exceptional detail and personal insight make the read very engaging and pleasurable. Had you never known a thing about Krug before you picked up his book, my assumption would be that you’d walk away not only knowing a lot about Krug and Champagne, respectively, but that you’d probably have developed a very strong urge to try their signature wine, The Grande Cuvee.
I, myself, being an unabashedly big fan of Krug even before reading Tardi’s intimate opus came away with a more developed sense of appreciation for a vigneron’s work. Tardi shares the life of Krug as he sees it, that is, from the vantage point of an outsider whose role is to observe and learn. He gives you, the reader, a feeling of understanding that to make a great wine, there comes with it a responsibility of history and feeling. Tradi shows you that Krug stands high today as one of the premier Champagne houses not solely because of its wines, but because of its personality and values; values of which come from those who make it and from those who came before.
Throughout the book, Tardi takes time to engage the reader with the history of Champagne and how it came to be. Within his history lesson, the narrative of Krug unfolds before you as you begin to understand how the house started. The story begins in 1834 when a then 34 year old small German man of just 5'2" lands in Paris, his name was Joseph Krug. With not much to his name, Krug’s arrival is at a time of much change within the country. Napoleon has just died 13 years earlier and the French are eager to move on from their former tyrannical leader. Coincidentally, this period also saw the emergence of a style of wine with fizz. Having become popular for well over a 100 years now, Tardi explains how many of the large Champagne houses we still see today are starting to take shape as they find themselves with a growing list of consumers. Jacquesson, being one of houses at the time, ends up hiring an unknown in Krug. Tardi explains that Krug’s hiring has more to do with being in the right place with the right connections rather than being the most qualified, as at this point in his life there’s no proof or suggestion that Krug has even tasted Champagne.
With his newfound job in hand, Tardi tells the story of how Krug works tirelessly beside Adolphe Jacquesson for years learning all that he can. As many of us would, in his position, Krug eventually falls madly in love with Champagne, upon which he decides to leave Jacquesson and open up his own house. By 1843, the house of Krug et Cie is born. As Tardi explains “…Krug was driven more by passion and desire than entrepreneurial zeal, he could not have picked a better time to start a new Champagne venture if he’d tried”.
As I continued to read along, Tardi continues to detail all that happens with his time spent with Eric Lebel, the current Chef du Cave of Krug. Lebel comes across as a very personable and calm man, one who is serious about his craft but isn’t consumed by it. The two men spend much time together in the vineyards, tasting grapes, checking their health and glad-handing the growers. Tardi points out that Lebel relishes this time spent with those who grow their grapes as he sees it as a connecting point to how his wines will turn out. “Each of these vigneron has their own story, their own unique personality, which somehow turns up in their grapes. And this is a big part of where complexity comes from; this mix of personalities contributes as much to the Grande Cuvee as the meteorological events of the season or the terroir where the grapes are grown.” By understanding his grapes and their growers, Tardi explains, “While Eric’s goal (and the goal of the four generations of Krugs that precede him) is to maintain the house style and the vision of its founder, surely the gentle touch of the individual behind it does leave its mark.”
Since joining the House in 1998, Eric’s fingerprints have come to shape how Krug has continued to grow and blossom into the 21st century. Having been sold to the large luxury firm LVMH in 1999, the house of Krug would see a new influx of capital and stability. By no longer having to worry about the rising costs of production, Lebel’s focus on producing the finest quality champagne was only strengthened. “Eric doesn’t have to pinch pennies when searching for the best grapes and negotiating with suppliers, the winery doesn’t have to make economic compromises to keep its head above water,” says Margareth Henriquez, CEO of Krug.
Being the standard bearer of making the best Champagne in the world comes with a lot of responsibility. Commitment, time, passion and a genuine love must exist by all those involved. As I finished Tardi’s book, I came away with a feeling that there was more to his experience than just seeing how Krug is made. The people, the relationships, the history, all of it form a part of what Krug was and is to this day. Understanding this was crucial for him to experience, and I’m glad he found a way to share it. I might never visit Krug, but I sure feel like I’ve already been there.
To quote Margareth Henriquez while she, Eric and Olivier Krug were deciding upon the final 4 for the 2013 Grande Cuvee “Richness without heaviness, and many layers-that is the essence of Krug Grande Cuvee!” I know she was talking about the wine here, but part of me feels as though her statement represents what Krug is as a whole. There are many layers to Krug and it’s up to us to peel them away to enjoy.
Ok, now, I’m thirsty.
