Eating out with Krug

By Philippe Boucheron, 05/05

Champagne producers can be like politicians; they enjoy embroidering the truth. So when Rémi Krug invited me to lunch in London the other day, telling me that his Rosé would go magnificently with a rich chocolate dessert, I just had to give it a try.

And you know what? He was wrong. But it was quite superb with the warm salad of Scottish lobster and the roast duck, with a hint of Sichuan pepper and sweet and sour vegetables, that chefs Alexis Gauthier and Gérard Virolle of Roussilon, in fashionable Pimlico, had created for us. But as for the rich crunchy chocolate and praline finger with raspberries, well in my opinion, it would have taken a patrician 20-year old Tawny Port to tame its rich unctuous flavours.

Well, two out of three can't be bad! But it did get me thinking about Krug and why this exemplary champagne, that can only be described as having 'gravitas', is so good with food.

The simple truth is that Krug is quite unlike any other champagne. First and foremost the very best grapes are reserved not for the vintage wines but for the astonishing Grand Cuvée. This is a blend of at least six, and sometime up to nine vintages, spread over some 50 wines from 20 to 25 villages, all of which were first fermented and then aged in 205 litre oak barrels. The blend contains a majority of Grand and Premier Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as 15 - 20% Pinot Meunier; more than is normally found in other grande marques - or big brands.

The Grand Cuvée spends at least seven or more years, depending upon the wines, resting on its first cork enriching its flavours from the sediment of dead yeast left in the bottle after the second fermentation has taken place. All of this gives the wine a firm all-round depth of complex aromas and flavours that makes it the perfect companion for a wide range of dishes. Indeed over the years I have enjoyed it with roast ribs of beef and even legs of lamb. I have not, as yet, been invited to any of Lord Archer's soirées where he serves Krug with shepherds pie. But I live in hope.

The strange thing is that on its own I can only enjoy one or two glasses. I could never sit down and quaff the better part of a bottle as - shame on me - I have done with both Billecart-Salmon and Pol Roger. But then these are two of the more distinguished apéritif styles of champagne, while Krug is made of sterner stuff.

The Rosé, like the Grand Cuvée, is created from a complex collection of reserve wines and differs only in two particulars; first it is pink and not gold, and secondly it only rests on its cork for around five years.

The delicate pink colour is achieved through fermenting Grand Cru Pinot Noir grapes, from the best parcels of the Montagne de Reims around Aÿ, on their skins for eight or nine days - depending upon the year. This extracts not only the colour but also charming red berry flavours with the merest hint of spice and the absolute minimum extraction of tannins.

Although the Krug family has been making champagne since 1843 it wasn't until the tropical summer of 1976 that they decided to try their hands at a Rosé. This was finally released with a suitable fanfare in 1983, and although from the same lineage as the mighty Grand Cuvée it is far more seductive, and less dominantly male in style. It is both a refreshing apéritif and a subtle charmer with the right dish.

You won't find Krug Rosé everywhere, but where you do it could set you back Ł160.00 a bottle. But I wouldn't suggest serving it with fish-pie, that is unless you are Jeffrey Archer!

See all stockists of Krug Grand Cuvée on wine-searcher.com.
See all stockists of Krug Roseacute; on wine-searcher.com.