Joseph Krug founded the house in 1843 after learning winemaking at Champagne Jacquesson, driven to craft the finest champagne every year, regardless of climate. By honouring each vineyard's individuality and creating a vast reserve library, he achieved his dream & Krug Grande Cuvée 1st Edition was born.
In the 1970s, Henri and Rémi Krug modernized production, acquired Clos du Mesnil, 1st vintage 1979, launched Krug Rosé in 1983 and purchased Clos d'Ambonnay in 1991, first vintage 1995. LVMH acquired Krug in 1999; Henri and Rémi stepped down in 2007. Since 2009, Olivier Krug, the sixth generation, is Director of Krug.
In 2024, Krug completed
Joseph, its new state-of-the-art sustainable winery in the village of Ambonnay, awarded exceptional HQE certification.
In 1991, just two years after Olivier joined Krug, a Clos surrounded by a protective wall since 1766 was found in Ambonnay, Krug's favourite village and largest source of Pinot Noir. The tiny 0.68-hectare site was purchased in 1994 and the first vintage was produced in 1995. Kept an absolute secret until its release in 2007, Olivier revealed: "We even kept it a secret from Moët for some years!"
This Limited Edition Krug Clos d'Ambonnay Trilogy is an exclusive celebration of one of Champagne's rarest and most famous vineyards. The Trilogy includes one 75cl bottle each of Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1996, Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1998 and Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 2000.
Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1996
Light gold colour with slight hints of violet, recalling its Pinot Noir origins. Sumptuous aromas of plum tart, brioche, hazelnuts and citrus fruits emerge. The palate is incredibly concentrated, lots of autumn fruits, an amazing freshness enhanced by very fine bubbles and a very long finish. This 1996 is still early in its development and will continue to age for many years before it nears its peak, probably in the early 2020s.
Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1998 | Krug ID:
111002
An intense golden colour with hints of red tones. Amazing aromas of milky caramel, blackcurrant, red fruit jam and jellied fruits. On the palate, there are rich notes of wild fruits, brioche and redcurrant enhanced by an elegant long finish. At nearly twenty years of age, it is still shockingly fresh and lively with an elegant purity and immense power.
Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 2000 | Krug ID:
413063
A particularly luminous straw-gold colour with a fine stream of bubbles throughout. Its aromas are full of brioche, caramel and spices, leading to a palate rife with freshness combined with flavours of caramel and hints of lemon. This latest release of Clos d’Ambonnay has fulfilled the potential of the grapes from the harvest and is exceptional in taste and ageing potential.
Each bottle of Krug Clos d'Ambonnay has a Krug ID on the back label which enables you to discover the story of that very bottle. You can use the ID codes above to discover more information about each blend on the smartphone App or on the Krug website.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Clos d'Ambonnay
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
Ageing: At least 10 years on the lees
Krug Clos d'Ambonnay Trilogy is a truly amazing opportunity to witness how climate influences flavour - open them all in one evening for a magical vertical discovery. The Trilogy includes three 75cl bottles of Clos d'Ambonnay as described, presented in a beautifully crafted and branded wooden case (as shown in the picture on the left).
Just five years after Joseph Krug founded his eponymous Champagne House in 1843, he documented his great vision for Krug in a cherry-red leather notebook. In it, he revealed the principles of creating a champagne of incredible richness yet great elegance, of selecting only the finest elements from the greatest terroirs, rejecting mediocre fruit and making both a non-vintage and a vintage cuvée - revolutionary at the time. Discovered in 2010 by current House Director and sixth generation of the founding family Olivier Krug, the ideals in this notebook and Krug's resolute commitment to them have secured their position as the most luxurious and exclusive of all Champagne producers.
Unlike other Champagne Houses, Krug's range consists of prestige cuvées only. Their iconic non-vintage Grande Cuvée is a masterful blend of some 120 wines, vintage Krugs are renowned as true classics, majestically displaying the characteristics of each harvest and their unique and exclusive single-vineyard champagnes, Clos du Mesnil and Clos d'Ambonnay are the ultimate rarities. The recent introduction of ID codes displayed on the back of every bottle - revealing base year, disgorgement periods and product information - has helped revise the vision of Krug in line with the great founder's philosophy.
Cellar Master:
Julie Cavil
Winery Location: Reims | Champagne, France
Champagne Region:
Montagne de Reims
Annual Production (bottles): 760,000
Chef de Cave History at Champagne Krug:
Julie Cavil - January 2020 to current
Julie Cavil is the current Cellar Master of Champagne Krug — and the first woman to hold that role. After starting her career in advertising, she retrained in oenology in Champagne and joined Krug in 2006, becoming Chef de Caves in 2020. Known for her humility, precision, and respect for Krug’s “one plot, one wine” philosophy, she oversees the blending of hundreds of base wines each year to recreate Krug’s signature style. Cavil balances tradition with innovation, focusing on sustainability and creative projects while preserving the founder’s vision of crafting the finest Champagne every year, regardless of vintage conditions.
Eric Lebel - 1999 - 2019
Eric Lebel joined Krug in 1999 as Chef de Cave. He was described as “Mozart of bubbly". Under his leadership the house expanded its reserve-wine library (for example, tripling from ~50-60 reserve wines in earlier years to 150+). He emphasised the preservation of individuality of plot, rigorous tasting, and refusing wines that did not meet house standards.
Dominique Petit - 1979 - 1999
Dominique Petit is a original Champenois. He was born in Verzy in 1954. Coming from a family of winegrowers, he studied at the Lycée Viticole d’Avize and the University of Reims, earning his oenology diploma at 23. Petit joined Champagne Krug in 1979, where he spent 20 years overseeing production under Henri and Rémy Krug. His tenure marked a bridge between Krug’s family-run era and its modernisation before LVMH ownership. In 1999, he became Chef de Cave at Pol Roger.