Inspired by the complementary nature of traditional food and wine pairings, the House of Krug has pioneered a multisensory experience that uses music as one of its key ingredients.

Krug has partnered with five musical artists to transpose the taste sensations of two new Champagnes into sound compositions named Krug Echoes. Behind the project is the house’s sense that there are many connections between the realms of wine and music. Wine-tasting, for instance, is akin to identifying a melody among many notes, while each new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée is like a particular rendition of a beautiful symphony.

‘You need not be an expert to be moved by a song, just as no prior knowledge is required to enjoy a glass of Krug Champagne,’ says Krug cellar master Julie Cavil.

Wine and music can both provide unique sensations

This year, the artists include Japanese violinist Emiri Miyamoto, Japanese singer Kazu Makino, British drummer Moses Boyd, American harpist Mary Lattimore, and French composer and electronic artist Erwan Castex (aka Rone).

At the centre of the music inspiration are two new releases, Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition and Krug Rosé 27ème Édition, both of which were created around the harvest of 2015.

At a tasting led by Cavil the artists interpreted their sensations, keeping in mind how these pertained to an underpinning theme: namely, Joseph Krug’s philosophy of crafting the most generous expression of champagne every year regardless of climate variation. Rone assembled the transposed sensations into two musical blends.

Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition is a blend of 131 wines from 12 different years between 2000 and 2015. The Krug Echo with which it will be paired is called Joseph’s Theme: Dream Variation. Rone says it ‘reconciles paradoxes in every sip, just as each musician brings their own unique contribution to the musical assemblage.’ Lattimore explains her contribution as follows: ‘With my harp, I sought to draw parallels with the blissful sparkling bubbles that enchanted me with every discovery of this champagne.’

Krug’s upcoming multi-sensory experiences will feature precision 3D sound technology

Cavil, meanwhile, blended 38 wines from nine different years between 2005 and 2015 to produce Krug Rosé 27ème Édition. It is like an orchestra of 38 “musicians” with a bold, vivacious mix of profiles that seem at once to contrast with and complement one another. When conceptualising the Krug Echo Joseph’s Theme: Freedom Variation, Rone ‘imagined that each musician would be able to express his or her singularity and character, leaving them free to improvise in order to create a composition full of surprise and variation.’ Boyd’s beat is meant to recall traditionally macerated red wines adding colour and substance to the blend. And Makino has sought to capture with her voice ‘that unexpected blend of finesse and more magical, organic qualities.’

Ticketed immersive music pairing experiences that include precision 3D sound technology and captivating imagery will take place in pop-up studios around the world. And two limited TASTING SOUND experiences are also accessible from one’s home via a QR code featured within Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition and Krug Rosé 27ème Édition giftboxes.

Keep an eye on krug.com/krug-x-music-experience for more. Limited Edition Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition, 75cl. RRP £225; Limited Edition Krug Rosé 27ème Édition, 75cl. RRP £330. Both available from Selfridges and Clos19.com