There are many things to love about AW2 Architects’ new Krug winery in the Champagne heartland of Ambonnay, north-east France. Its almost invisible imprint, a genuine relationship with the landscape, and that surprisingly modest name – ‘Joseph’ – are just a few.
The label is indeed a touch humble for a big business that has been family-run since 1843; and now, with LVMH as parent owner. But it displays the spirit that runs through the entire Maison Krug operation. A refreshingly modern thinker, Joseph Krug believed that the ‘true essence of champagne is pleasure itself’, a wholly uplifting missive around which the house revolves today. Total excellence was his benchmark. And so, regardless of cost, because they produced the best, Joseph Krug was absolute in his dictate that no Krug champagne variety would be treated any differently than the other.
