Three versions of Krug with the common denominator of vintage 2008 were the theme of voyage's champagne experience in London. An experience we are happy to share with you, and an experience you can stage yourself.
It's been a few weeks since I first experienced... Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008. I was prepared for a subtle taste sensation, something tight and cohesive. But my encounter turned out to be something completely different – it was so lonely, so painful and at the same time so insanely beautiful. The music, the images in my head and the experience there in the concert hall in Alexandra Palace in London When my first glass was poured, it was something I was not prepared for at all.
An invitation from the champagne house Krug about a collaboration with Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto landed in my inbox. I opened up Spotify for a meeting, I spoke to music-loving family members and friends and realized this was big. Ryuichi Sakamoto is also known for having won an Oscar for the film score to the film The Last Emperor. When I read on, I find a long and exciting artistic career where he has also taken on roles as an actor, pianist, producer and singer.
I travel to London and check into the hotel The Standard at Kings Cross, where the whole concept is a bit upside down. Where the external lifts look like pills and where my room has a bathtub in the middle. We have time for lunch downstairs in the hotel's Library Lounge, where there is food, drink and books. Many of the guests for tonight's event live here, as well Olivier Krug who comes by and says hello. He is unique in keeping the family name and brand top of mind – worldwide. And this combination of Krug with music is a concept we have been working on for a long time. Letting multiple senses be activated to enhance the experience is what it is all about. For me, Krug has always been rock'n'roll, something that will be challenged tonight.
Lice, mischief or cuss
No perfume, no lipstick, that's how you can sum up the dress code for the evening. Simply no unwanted distractions. The Nordic delegation is picked up in a large Mercedes bus. Our Norwegian friend has bought a green Porsche Taycan for the day, and we talk about celebrating. The concept of LUS appears, lunch without end. We decide that KUS would be so much better, Krug without end. We drive through a partially blacked-out London, energy prices are high, and if it had been completely blacked out it would probably have been more about the family being away. Now only a few lights are on. Surface and content is the thought that takes root in me and I hear the GPS proclaiming "You have arrived at your destination".
It's time for a welcome drink, a glass of course Krug Grand Cuvée, this time by 164th Edition. A large burgundy suitcase with the text ”"Krug & Ryuichi Sakamoto"” in gold stands in a corner of the room. We are now here to hear how Sakamoto has interpreted Krug's champagne from the 2008 vintage – a work called ”Suite for Krug in 2008”. My curiosity makes me go over and open the trunk, it is empty. My focus shifts and I see Julie Cavil, Krug's brilliant winemaker in the middle of the room. It takes a moment before I venture forward. Julie Cavil is also expectant, she talks about the acclaimed 2008 vintage and the weather that made the harvest perfect. When asked what I can expect from Clos du Mesnil, she holds back and her voice lowers.
–It is a wine made from one grape, from a single location. I had expected more, more words, more explanations. But instead she leads the conversation into how the wine is composed like music and how she herself can contribute to this particular work. Now, however, we are here to find out how Ryuichi Sakamoto interpreted three champagnes: Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008, Krug 2008 and of course Krug Grand Cuvée 164éme Edition. In the best of worlds, Sakamoto would have been here tonight, but he is undergoing cancer treatment and his doctor has advised him not to travel. He has sent a recorded greeting. We see him at the grand piano and in front of the computer where he interprets the champagne in his own way. Before it is time for us to share in the experience, Olivier Krug welcomes us:
– Tonight's experience is an experience of champagne, of champagne combined with music. So don't be shy. I know most of you and I know that you are not shy in general. You will now be given a glass of champagne and the music will take you on a journey. Taste the champagne, close your eyes and enjoy the experience.
Krugid An app that you download to your phone to enhance your Krug experience and learn more about the house. Enter the code for your bottle and get lots of information about the wine and even music suggestions that can enhance the experience. The music Both on Spotify and on Youtube you will find Suite for Krug 2008 by Ryuichi Sakamoto. In concert format, the set has been played in New York, London and Tokyo by 36 musicians all selected by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Fix the wine, fix the friends and the evening is yours – KISS you!
The soloist
The orchestra in the middle, the piano at one end, the violin at the other and the orchestra in between. We sit down on each side, two by two on a table with room for three glasses. A triangle rings out alone in the room. The waiters come out and fill our glasses with Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008. It's hard to breathe. A few simple chords on the grand piano fill the room. I dare to smell, a chill reaches me. Maybe citrus, maybe mineral.
I do as Olivier Krug asked us to do, I take a sip. I let the drink find its place in my mouth, I draw in a little air and a feeling of loneliness hits me. Tight, self-evident and all on its own, this is a drink that is guaranteed to continue to develop. Someone turns that instrument where small grains of rice create the sound of rain and I am transported to the place where the Chardonnay grapes that have now landed in my glass once grew. Right now it may be raining there. It is a bit difficult to find the right words, this champagne is not simple, it is not easy to drink, but here it is a completely self-evident introduction. When I later read about the wine I find the description: elegant, chiseled, silky and generous. A fine summary of this soloist.
The small ensemble
It is time for several musicians to take their places, the small orchestra. Here the strings meet us and the notes are softer. The grand piano, the violin, we float forward. Melancholy lifts. We are served Krug 2008, nicknamed Classic Beauty, which includes all three grapes that can be found in a champagne: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, 53 percent of which is pinot noir, which contributes to the wine already being both generous and full-bodied.
It's an interlude. Beautiful and poking, I close my eyes and change my mood. Beautiful, engaging and thoughtful without me falling into the ditch. It's time to take in the room and all the musicians, some of whom are still sitting and waiting to get their part in the evening's experience. The champagne also has a larger register and looking for flavor notes is always fun. Bread, citrus and apples are of course there but also nuts and a nice minerality. On their own the notes are simple but interpreted in music they expand the experience. Yum.
The orchestra
The bell rings, and the third bottle – the one that is the foundation of everything Krug – is poured into our glasses and it is time for the whole orchestra to be invited in – into both our ears and our glasses. The event has invited the word twist: ”Seeing Sound, Hearing Krug”, which we are now doing. Krug’s Grand Cuvée is exactly what it says, a blend of different wines, not just from one year but a mix of both grape varieties and vintages. Simply put, a multi-vintage, of the more complex kind.
Joseph Krug, the founder of Krug, had a vision of creating a really good champagne every year, not just in the years when the harvest was optimal. He wanted to create a complex champagne by blending different grapes from different years, which the house has done since 1843. To return to the music, it is still a matter of selecting the musicians and instruments that will be included in the composition, both in the bottle and on stage. And just like the wine, the musicians now also invite you to an experience in a larger format. The happy life is here, with beautiful notes, with depth and complexity. The concert is over, and a new curtain rises – that of the set table.
Flavor combinations
Here, all three champagnes are waiting to be combined with a delicious meal: Clos du Mesnil 2008 with tuna, Krug 2008 with lobster and Grand Cuvée 164ème Edition with guinea fowl with truffles. It is insanely delicious, beautifully presented and opposite me sits Manuel Reman with the fine title of Président de champagne Krug. After a little chat about everything and the experience tonight, I note his three glasses. It is the third one he seems to prefer. I am simply asking.
–My absolute favorite is Krug Grand Cuvée, it's complex and a champagne I never tire of. It goes with everything!
The version of Grand Cuvée that we received in our glasses during the evening is the 164th edition, a blend that includes 127 wines from 11 different vintages, the youngest from 2008 and the oldest from 1990. In terms of taste, this is a complex wine where you discover new layers and new flavors with every sip. Marzipan, nuts, citrus, honey… When it comes to food, the wine goes with almost everything, from the simple to the most complex.
The dinner has been magnificent, but is overshadowed by Ryuichi Sakamoto's insanely beautiful music. It's time to break up. At the next table, Janet Jackson has been sitting all evening with her company. When it's time to get up, many are "starstruck" and want to take a selfie with her immediately. I myself would have liked to take a selfie with Julie Cavil, but that will have to wait until another time. In any case, I thank her for a nice experience before we go back to the hotel.
After having had some time to digest my experience, I still stand by the fact that Krug can be rock'n'roll - but also so much more.
