Great Krug Champagne food pairings aren’t hard to come up with.
Whatever your reason for wanting to buy a bottle of Krug Champagne or open one you’ve had in your cellar for years, your thoughts have likely started drifting towards food—if they’re not there already. Food and Champagne go hand in hand. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or just putting together a great dinner, picking the right dish to go with a bottle of Champagne—and vice versa—can feel like a momentous decision.
And that’s as it should be. A great food and wine pairing can create a synergistic relationship that both boldens and balances the flavors on your palate. Krug Champagne food pairings, in particular, have the power to elevate a meal to a memorable event since Krug wines are reliably excellent.
To ensure you choose a food and Champagne combination that is as complementary as it is delicious, we’ve got some pairing suggestions to inspire you.
Champagne and Food: A Match Made in Heaven
It’s hard to completely miss the mark when pairing Champagne with food, because it already goes so well with a variety of dishes. Baked fish, mixed greens, and other light meals make great companions for Champagne’s typically complex, yet delicate taste. However, heftier ingredients, like pork and even beef, can pair nicely with Champagne, too, since the wine’s acidity and bubbles scrub the palate, creating a heavy/light contrast that brings out the best in both the wine and the food.
Dry Champagne pairs particularly well with a variety of creamy, buttery, and salty appetizers and main courses.
Krug only makes Champagne in a dry, or Brut, style, but luckily this is one of the most versatile styles of Champagne. Dry Champagne pairs particularly well with a variety of creamy, buttery, and salty appetizers and main courses. By providing a contrast to rich dishes like risotto and lobster, Champagne can enhance the flavor profiles of these foods while keeping your palate from tiring.
Creating Memorable Krug Champagne Food Pairings
In an effort to show how remarkably easy Krug Champagne food pairings can be, the house set out on a unique pairing quest in 2015: to prove that just one ingredient paired with their Grande Cuvée could raise the enjoyment of both to create a culinary event.
Krug champions their Brut vintage Champagne as the ideal companion to most dishes.
The result? A resounding success–so much so, in fact, that Krug has repeated the challenge every year since with the help of chefs from around the world. The house has challenged participants to pair Krug’s Grande Cuvée with simple plates focused around potatoes, eggs, mushrooms, fish, and, most recently in 2019, peppers. Of course, with the versatility of Krug’s nutty, complex house style, there’s no need to limit yourself to pairings involving just one ingredient. The following are a few pairing suggestions for each of Krug’s offerings:
Clos du Mesnil
The Clos du Mesnil, Krug’s vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs, goes perfectly with fish and poultry, prepared with or without sauce. Grilled turkey and triple cream brie sandwiches, tuna carpaccio, and hearty chicken and vegetable stews all pair beautifully with this bubbly made from a single plot of Chardonnay.
Brut Rosé
Krug’s Brut Rosé, a blend of three different grape varieties including Pinot Noir, pairs well with rich, savory dishes, such as pea soup with foie gras, roast venison, and spicy chicken coconut curry. However, with delicate notes of honey and dried fruit, it can also be enjoyed alone.
Clos d’Ambonnay
The Clos d’Ambonnay, Krug’s rare Blanc de Noirs, is made from Pinot Noir grapes grown in a single enclosed plot. Scrambled eggs with pork sausage or herb and pepper-crusted rib of beef both pair exceedingly well with this wine. Because it complements the smokiness of chestnuts roasted over a fire, too, Clos d’Ambonnay also makes an excellent Champagne to serve around Christmastime.
Brut Vintage
Krug champions their Brut vintage Champagne as the ideal companion to most dishes. Blended from several base wines from the same vintage, you can pair this dry, elegant Champagne with rich, creamy, aromatic, and even citrus-infused foods. Here are some of our favorite pairings in order by vintage:
- 2006 with ratatouille, sushi, or vegetable au gratin
- 2003 with veal or lamb chops cooked with rosemary and grapes
- 2000 with caramelized scallops and pineapple or chicken in garlic sauce
- 1998 with Japanese fish tempura or a cold noodle salad
- 1996 with shrimp in a rich basil and mustard sauce or fusilli with spinach and Asiago cheese
- 1995 with grilled lobster in a sorrel and Sauternes sauce or veal with black pepper
- 1988 with poached salmon in hollandaise or bass with lemon-herb butter
As tempting as it may be to serve excellent Champagne with extravagant dishes, don’t forget to take advantage of the diverse pairing opportunities that Krug Champagne offers. Buttered popcorn and homemade potato chips go great with a Brut vintage, too. One of the best things about Krug Champagne is that it gives you the option to be creative.
Expand Your Definition of a Great Krug Champagne and Food Pairing
One of the best ways to inspire unique Krug Champagne food pairings is to keep a variety of Krug wines on hand. Consider adding one or more Grande Cuvées or Rosés to your collection in addition to an esteemed golden Brut, like the 2002 vintage. Then, take a risk on a dish you might not normally serve with Champagne at a time that isn’t specially reserved for bubbly wine—and go for it. How about Champagne with fried chicken on a Monday night at home or with fish tacos on a Sunday afternoon? Weddings, career promotions, and other special occasions aren’t the only times Champagne is meant to be enjoyed. In fact, if you have a bottle of Krug on hand, it could even be time to experience it right now.
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