An experience for the senses awaits when the world of oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto meets that of the incomparable Krug champagne house.
During a multisensory event held at New York City’s Brooklyn Museum, the journey undertaken in late 2019 by Japanese Ryuichi Sakamoto and the great French house hit all the right notes. In an exhilarating atmosphere, one hundred guests savoured a unique blend of musical creation and exceptional champagnes.
Krug champagnes are among the best-kept secrets of connoisseurs. The house of Reims continues to uphold the philosophy of its founder, who back in 1843 dreamed of producing the best champagne each year, whatever the climatic variations. While some vintages can come from a single plot of the Champagne terroir, others are blends. Each of the editions is different, but all are rich and generous, showing the same consistency.
Sakamoto—a master in the art of transcribing the unspoken into music—leveraged his great sensitivity so that the voices of Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008, Krug 2008 Vintage, and Krug Grande Cuvée 164th Edition could be heard in a three-part score. It wasn’t by chance that the Tokyo composer, producer, artist, and environmental activist was selected. Prominent on the current music scene, Sakamoto has charmed with his soundtracks for The Revenant (2015), The Last Emperor (1987), and Furyo (1983). He is recognized for having composed electronic works as well as pop albums, classical compositions, and operas.
The collaboration with Krug and Cellar Master Julie Cavil allowed the artist to celebrate the exceptional qualities of the 2008 cuvées and highlight their distinctive features. For 18 months, Sakamoto learned, shared, listened, tasted, and called on all his senses to create a skillful blend of sensations and experiences, both refined and natural. While the first movement, an ode to the finesse of Clos du Mesnil, links the crystalline notes like so many bubbles, the second movement, played by a small ensemble, evokes the full elegance of the Krug 2008 Vintage. The last part of the symphony, with orchestra, underscores the complexity and rich palate of the Krug Grande Cuvée 164th Edition. This quintessential Sakamoto piece pays homage to French culture and the music of Satie and Ravel with a nod to the sounds of nature, the centuries-old work of the vine, and the sensual pleasures of tasting.
Champagne and music lovers can discover the Suite for Krug in 2008, available since September, on the house’s website and streaming platforms.
Cover photo: Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto at work in the recording studio.
