Interview by Serge Barret
"I travel a lot. I've never really counted, but it's huge; at least around twenty business trips a year. It's a change from what my grandparents used to tell me when I was a child, which gave me a taste for other places. Because, basically, that's what my first journeys were: romantic tales of Atlantic crossings on the FranceIn fact, travelling was in my genes. Krug has been part of globalisation for 170 years.
As far as I'm concerned, my first real memories of travelling date back to 1984to my student days in CreteWith a rucksack and almost no money. I have a lot of memories of backpacking like that, in England, the United States, Italy... But... the real shock came with my first business trip. This was at the beginning of the 90s, in the JapanIt was for Krug champagne. Initially, I was leaving for a year and I stayed for two. I loved it, I visited everything, I tried to understand everything. The cities, the countryside, the customs, the volcanoes, the traditional inns, the north, the south, everything... Apart from the trip, I really enjoyed it. Japan loversWe're very empathetic with their culture. Which no doubt explains the success of our champagne over there.
I systematically buy a guidebook, I read the history, I walk a lot to get a feel for the city, I pick things up left and right, in museums and elsewhere.
So there are those trips that I would call classic, the United States, Hong Kong, SingaporeAnd then there are the countries I've never been to. Prague, for example, where I went for the first time only ten days ago. In this case, I try, as much as I can, to get out of my professional environment. I systematically buy a guidebook, I read the history, I walk a lot to get a feel for the city, I pick things up left and right, in museums and elsewhere. I don't become an expert, but I get a feel for things. In any case, I always avoid shutting myself away between four walls with a bottle and two glasses.
I've got something! I've an Instagram account dedicated to my travels. This is a small character, the KrugoliWe'd like to share our experiences with you. Whether it's the grape harvest here in France or a stroll in Portland, or in Vienna... I'm just as familiar with the vineyards in my corner of Champagne, the particularities of working the old-fashioned way, as I am with the latest trendy bar in Osaka. And I share it all with 14,000 followers ! In fact, I'm the Champagne geek.
Travelling is always different. The day after tomorrow, for example, I'm off to Seattle; then I'm off to Portland, New York and London before coming back to Champagne. I usually organise tastings with music. Great champagnes have a real musicalityOne vintage goes with an opera, another with a solo. It's transcultural. So, next week, I'm going to DJ at a concept bar in New York. It's something I've never done before, and it's a lot of fun, and it amazes my teenagers. In fact, I've got to leave you: I've got my playlist to revise!
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