Coming Up Roses—Marigolds, Nasturtiums, and More

On one recent, perfectly early-summer day, a magnum of Champagne was glistening in the Northern California sunlight. Its dark pine glass and honey gold foil was backlit even more by the surrounding rocky tundra as dramatic Pacific waves crashed onto it and rolling hills of chrysanthemums and calendulas smiled down from above. But the bottle was no buried treasure found by lucky passersby nor was it a miracle washed onto shore from a disaster faraway; the bubbly—Krug, to be exact—was both the host and the star of an unbelievable travel and dining experience it has debuted to celebrate a year of flowers.

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Since 2015, the Champagne maison has thoughtfully dedicated the focus of a full calendar year to one specific ingredient to honor founder Joseph Krug's philosophy of individuality in wine-making. (Unlike most champagne-producers, Krug takes a plot-by-plot approach that considers the diversity of around 400 wines from both the year's harvest and its 14-year reserve library. What follows is a pour simply unlike anything else.) The single ingredient celebration began with potato and was followed by egg and mushroom in 2016 and 2017. This year, Krug's Chef de Cave Julie Cavil chose flowers for the tradition's focus because of their diversity and versatility.

“Flowers open new and surprising doors for culinary creativity: they can be infused, dried, served fresh, cooked, or even made into salts,” Cavil says, referring to the second and most important part of the annual program: collaboration between the Champagne and its ambassador chefs. “The endless possibilities of each single ingredient are designed to inspire innovation in the creation of the exceptional.”

Indeed, on the secluded Mendocino County, California coast, exceptional was the only way to describe such a special launch. “You really can’t beat the view,” says Matt Kammerer as he passes a tray of oysters that were open-fire grilled inches away from where he regularly makes his own salt from the sea. This October, the 2 Michelin starred executive chef of The Harbor House Inn will collaborate on the first of Krug’s once-in-a-life-time journeys dedicated to gastronomy, travel, and flowers, of course, on this very cove. Later, in November, Nathan Rich of Twin Farms in Vermont will follow, as will Cassidee Dabney of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains in December.

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Produced with Indagare, each journey offers guests the opportunity to experience arts and culinary programming at the three if-you-know-you-know boutique hotels as well as to enjoy one-of-a-kind, flower-forward chef pairings. “We have an abundance of marigold plants with an aromatic smell. I wanted to capture that in an ice cream base, almost capturing a moment in time,” says Kammerer of his creamy, Krug-inspired dessert. Whipped by hand, the floral confection has a unique sweetness that hits the spot without being too sugary. He continues: “This process mirrors how Krug captures the essence of their chosen ingredients, creating a symphony of flavors in each bottle.”

In addition to one-on-one time with the lauded chefs and intimate moments with the land they work off of, guests will be joined by Estelle Ngo at each getaway. Krug’s Head of Brand will lead exclusive tastings of rare cuvées as well as its two new releases of Grande Cuvée, a blend of 146 wines from 11 different years that's been stored for nearly seven years in Krug's cellars, and Rosé, a blend of 32 wines from 6 different years.

“With this unique approach founded on individuality and innovation, we are so pleased to be collaborating with these three chefs to host these exceptional experiences,” says Ngo. “Each location—California's coastal beauty, Vermont's picturesque countryside, andTennessee's majestic mountains—was chosen to highlight the distinct terroir that enriches the single ingredient concept. This diversity allows guests to immerse themselves in the unique terroir that inspires Krug's craft, deepening their appreciation for the artistry and innovation behind Krug Champagne.”

Krug's Single Ingredient Indagare Insider Journeys are available for booking online now.

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