Krug Opens Larrabee Studios to the Public for Champagne Tasting with Live Music

What happened

On 15 September 2026, Krug opened the doors of Larrabee Studios to the public, staging a champagne tasting experience set against a backdrop of live music. The event brought together two distinct sensory disciplines — the contemplative ritual of tasting champagne and the immediacy of musical performance — within a single, purposefully curated occasion.

Guests were invited to taste Krug's champagnes whilst live music was produced as an integral element of the experience, rather than as ambient accompaniment. The pairing of sound and wine placed both on equal footing, each informing the other throughout the event.

Why it matters

For a house of Krug's standing, opening a space such as Larrabee Studios to the public marks a deliberate step beyond the conventions of the traditional tasting room. Luxury champagne houses have long relied upon heritage, terroir, and critical acclaim to communicate their identity. What this initiative signals is a willingness to engage consumers through experience rather than solely through the glass.

By weaving live music into the tasting format, Krug positions the act of drinking champagne as something that extends into broader cultural territory. The result is an encounter that asks more of its participants — and, in doing so, invites a deeper form of attention.

This approach reflects a wider movement among prestige producers to construct moments that are felt as much as they are tasted, recognising that consumer engagement in the luxury sector increasingly demands the multi-sensory.

Context

Experiential marketing has become a meaningful arena for luxury brands seeking to forge lasting connections with their audiences. For champagne houses in particular, where the product is already associated with celebration and occasion, the challenge lies in creating encounters that feel genuinely distinctive rather than merely theatrical.

Krug's use of Larrabee Studios — a venue with its own cultural resonance — suggests a considered choice of setting, one that lends the event a character beyond a conventional brand activation. The combination of champagne tasting and live music production at a single venue represents an evolution in how the house chooses to present itself to the public.