On my recent trip to Europe, a small window of opportunity appeared for me to make a quick stopover in the fabled Champagne region, and although it was only for a night, a quick weekend jaunt if you will, I of course jumped at the chance. This would be my very first visit to the iconic region and some matter of selection pressure was in my view natural.

The big question arose - which Champagne House to visit? Logistically speaking, I’d have to account for the time taken for navigating and driving about, with Reims to Sézanne about just over an hours drive, yet covering major regions from the Montagne de Reims to the Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne which would encompass over 300 villages representing 370 houses. And so the fizz was on - if I could only pick one Maison, which would it be?

 

A pilgrimage for any sparkling wine lover.

 

I concluded that Champagne Bollinger was to be the chosen one.

A house synonymous with tradition and elegance, this family-owned Maison has been producing some of the very best Champagne for close to two centuries. The House will celebrate its bicentennial very soon, in 2029. Revered for its dedication to quality, the house prides itself in remaining true to its very values that contribute to its continued success. 

Bollinger remains as one of the last independent Grand Marque Champagne Houses that has not been swallowed up or even partially bought by a giant conglomerate, which is in itself quite a feat. I had many questions on how they continued operations and persevered through the big crises in the last two centuries. But unless Bollinger invites me back for a chat with Madam Claire Desbois-Thibault, the historian in charge of promoting Champagne Bollinger’s history and heritage, that all remains to be questions for another day. 

The town of Aÿ

Bollinger is located in Aÿ, a stone’s throw from its famous neighbours, Epernay and Reims, the main towns in the Champagne region. 

 

 

Aÿ is considered the heart of champagne production and is itself a Grand Cru village where its vineyards are renowned for its top-tier quality.

The drive into Aÿ was picturesque with stunning views of the surrounding sloping hills teeming with lush green vineyards under the vast cloudless sky.

 

The vineyards of Aÿ.

 

We were in luck! It just so happened that the visit coincided with the time for the Champagne harvest, albeit right at the tail end of the season. This year, due to favourable weather conditions (or global warming if you’re feeling cynical), the grapes ripened rather quickly. Depending on the grape variety, harvesting began as early as 22^nd August and the latest harvest occurred on 4 September. Of course, each commune and grape variety typically utilised for Champagne – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier - had its specific scheduled date of harvest and it just so happened that we were right at the end of Bollinger’s harvesting season.

The drive into Aÿ was smooth and unsurprisingly, it is not as touristy as compared to the other more renowned towns. This was the beating heart of the Champagne industry. It may be Saturday, but liquid tank trunks continue to drive by. Activities are afoot. The smell of overripe fruit permeates the air if you walk about. Pungent but not unpleasant, some sweetness lingers as the breeze floats by. Soon I think I found the culprit – grape pomace being left to its devices post pressing. The surest sign that the year’s most crucial activity is in progress!

 

We're greeted with heaps of grape pomace.

Visiting the Bollinger Cellars

A visit to Bollinger’s estate in Aÿ is quite unlike the other larger, big names in Champagne. Forget a bus load of tourists or even ghastly snaking queues for your ticket. The visit promises dignity and refinement with a limited number of visitors for each tour. 

You may either plan your visit via a third party experience tour or as I did, book the tour via the 1829 application. 

The tour runs on weekdays and even on Saturday (up to September, based on what I saw on the 1829 application) save for certain block out dates and is offered in both French and English. 

Based on the 1829 application at the time of writing, it seems that the tours do not run on weekends for autumn/winter season. Depending on the day, the tours may run in the morning (typically at around 1000 hours) or in the afternoon (typically around 1400 hours) or both but no more than 2 timeslots in a day.

 

 

There are 2 experiences on offer on the 1829 application: the discovery tour and the experience tour. 

The discovery tour comprises a tour of the cellars followed by a guided tasting of 3 champagnes – 2 non-vintage champagnes and 1 vintage champagne. It costs 100€ per person, and the total stipulated time for the tour is 2 hours.

The experience tour comprises the same tour, followed by the guided tasting of 5 wines costing 150€ per person, and the total stipulated time for the tour is also 2 hours.

Without further ado, let us begin the discovery tour!

The History of Bollinger 

The tour begins with the Bollinger story and the different personalities that led the House. 

 

Key figures of the Bollinger story.

 

The House was birthed on 6 February 1829 when Paul Renaudin and Joseph-Jacob-Placide Bollinger also known as Jacques, joined forces with Athanase-Louis-Emmanuel de Villermont to form their own Maison, Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie. 

Now, the origin of the Bollinger name has always been a question for discussion. It is a French house, but Bollinger is a German name. Indeed, Jacques, was originally German and came to work in the Champagne region, at Muller Ruinart which no longer exists. He is not the only German that came to the Champagne region to eke their fortunes – other famous names of German origin include Johann-Josef Krug and the Heidsiecks, and they each need no introduction.

Athanase-Louis-Emmanuel de Villermont was the Count of Aÿ and as an aristocrat he was barred from trading or having business interests. As such he needed help with selling the produce of his vast agricultural estate, this is where Paul Renaudin and Jacques helped to establish the business. It is said that Jacques Bollinger handled the sales and Renaudin managed the cellars.

 

 

Jacques would eventually marry Villermont’s daughter, Charlotte de Villermont, and ever since the House has been managed by the Bollinger family. When Jacques grandsons, Joseph and Georges took over the business, they renamed it to Champagne Bollinger as we know it today. It was under their stewardship that the House earned its Royal Warrant bestowed by Queen Victoria in 1884, which was most recently renewed by King Charles in December 2024. 

This marks precisely 140 years since The King’s great-great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, first granted the Champagne Bollinger the Royal Warrant. This high honour is incredible. Bollinger is the only Champagne House to hold this prestigious appointment by The Royal Household of every reigning monarch since Queen Victoria! 

Every bottle of Champagne displays the Royal Arms, an emblem that signifies the recognition of quality from The Royal Household. 

Almost a century after, when Georges’ son, Jacques becomes head of the house, he married the charismatic Elisabeth Bollinger also known as Lily, who dedicated her life to expanding the House. She acquired vineyards and travelled far to promote the brand, building the foundation that has enabled the House to flourish today. 

She famously was quoted with saying the following and the rest was history.

 

 

Not only was she with wit and humour, but she was also the mastermind behind the iconic Bollinger R.D. cuvée. R.D. is short for Récemment Dégorgé, which means “Recently Disgorged”, this refers to Champagne that has been aged for an extended period on lees and then disgorged (removing the sediment) for a short time before its release to the market. This process creates a Champagne that is fresh due to its recent disgorgement while retaining the intense aromas and flavours developed during the extended period of aging. Hence her contributions were not only to the House but the entire Champagne industry as she pioneered this concept that challenged the original conception of aged Champagnes that lost their vibrancy over time.

She also created the first French Old Vines (“Vieilles Vignes Françaises”) cuvée from that did not get infected by Phylloxera. 

Champagne Bollinger Today

After Madame Lily passed, Claude d’Hautefeuille (her niece’s husband) and Christian Bizot (her nephew), succeeded her. 

Ghislain de Mongolfier, the great-grandson of the founder himself, eventually took the helm, also serving as the president of the Association Viticole Champenoise and leading the Commission of Champagne. 

Today, Étienne Bizot, the Chairman and Chief Executive, manages the House. He is oft quoted in articles and podcasts telling stories of a French journalist mentioning that Bollinger is a British brand that has been dislocated in France due to its popularity in the UK market. He calls it ‘le goût anglais’ – English taste.

 

Étienne Bizot

French Old Vines

After learning about the history, we went up the stairs behind the Bollinger Mansion and therein lay a tiny plot of land containing the French Old Vines that Madame Lily created that were not infected by Phylloxera. Phylloxera is an insect originating from North America that feeds and lays eggs on the roots of grapevines damaging and subsequently killing the vine. It wreaked havoc in the late 19^th century and an estimated two-thirds of European vineyards were destroyed by it.

The two vineyards on the estate, Clos Saint-Jacques and Clos Chaudes-Terres are the only two plots remaining in Champagne that escaped from the plague of Phylloxera.

The Champagne made exclusively from these vines will set you back a hefty penny and the result is a complex powerful vintage wine that is extremely rare. 

 

The tiniest of plots of old vines just in front of the Bollinger House.

The Barrel Room 

Behind the gates under the famous “Champagne Bollinger” sign, lies the entrance to the cellars. This is below the legendary Champagne Bollinger Mansion that was previously acquired from another Maison. 

 

Here there are barrels displayed, although this is not the actual barrel room. For this part of the tour, we learn more about the aging methods of the Bollinger House.

We learned that the House has used oak barrels since its inception. When other Houses gradually switched to stainless steel tanks that were not only more economical but prevented oxidation in post-war Champagne, Bollinger clung on to traditional vinification methods setting itself apart. Whilst a handful of other Houses use oak for vinification, perhaps most well-known of which is Krug, Bollinger takes it further by using very old barrels to hold its wines for much longer, taking care to manage oxidation and minimise wood influence.

Bollinger is unlikely to change this vinification process anytime soon. They believe that the wood plays an instrumental role and oxygenates the wines through contact with the wood which will soften the tannin and control the acidity of the wine. The aromatic complexity is enhanced by this process, which would not otherwise be possible for vinification via stainless steel. 

Did you know that they have a collection of 4,000 units of barrels, the largest collection in Champagne? Some are even more than a hundred years old! Each barrel came from Burgundy where they were used by other winemakers to make Chardonnay. The providers of such barrels are Domaine Chanson (part of the Bollinger group) and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. 

Bollinger is the last House with an in-house cooper, Gaël Chanut, a true embodiment of Bollinger’s deep commitment to craftsmanship. He oversees repairing any damage and prepares ahead in Spring for the next harvest season to ensure each barrel is cleaned, dried and sulphured for optimal usage. The age of each barrel ranges between 5 to 35 years old and they need to be maintained well. 

Bollinger also owns its own cork forest Cuis (Côtes des Blancs) and uses wood for its barrels too.

Bollinger has also harnessed the use of technology to assist its tracking of the vinification process. It is interesting to note that each barrel has a barcode drilled onto it for ease of tracking. The code reveals the contents and details of each barrel. 

 

The Cellars

Before we descend some steep stairs straight to the cellars, our guide informs us that if we do not feel well, we should inform her and not try to exit on our own as we might get lost in the cellars. The subterranean caves spans 6km and hold up to some 12 million bottles!  

From these caves, some 3 million bottles are released annually into the market. This gives the sense that the Bollinger House intends to maintain exclusivity and does not intend to be a mass producer of Champagne. 

To give some context, the largest Champagne House by production volume is Moët & Chandon, producing 30 million bottle per year. Veuve Clicquot produces 19 million bottles annually. 

When I stepped into the caves, the first thing I noticed was the immediate temperature drop. It is highly humid and chilly. From close to 30 degrees outside in the summer sun, it is about 13 degrees in the caves, which is close to the ideal serving temperature for Bollinger Champagne (about 10-12 degrees, depending on whether it is a vintage). 

Rows upon rows of black bottles can be found in dim yellow lighting that gently light up the caves. Varying sizes, from the standard 750 ml to the magnums (1.5l) to the Jeroboams (3l) can be found nonchalantly aging there under a layer of white dust. 

 

 

The most astonishing part of the tour was learning that they do manual riddling till this day! There are two riddlers, one due for retirement soon. Not to worry, his replacement has been identified. The House is not straying from its human interventionist approach anytime soon! 

This “head riddler” has been at the job for 40 years. Manual riddlers turn about 45,000 to 50,000 bottles each day and are highly skilled in their role. They turn the bottles as is required by the stage of fermentation which explains why only 2 persons have been entrusted with this role.

I had no idea an acclaimed House would still stay true to traditions, in my mind automated remuage, using the ‘gyropalette’ that can process up to 500 bottles in a single operation, would be used. 

‘Gyropalettes’ can work 24 hours a day, will not call in sick and do not require a pension! Jokes aside, it takes a mere fraction of a time, one week instead of six, and there are claims that quality will not be compromised. Bollinger certainly does not believe this to be the case and have kept their traditions to ensure standard of quality.

La Reserve

There is a special section in the caves dedicated to the reserve wines. 

Just like other Champagne Houses, reserve wines are blended with recent harvests to create consistent quality every single year. This will be used for their special cuvée, and other non-vintage Champagne.  

3,000 of these magnum bottles, preserved grape by grape, vintage by vintage, are stored in a wine library section named La Reserve that was unveiled in June 2016. This special section is gated and has a beautiful mosaic at the end of the library, by Sicilian artist Luigi La Ferla. The mosaic art, “La Gestation” is his interpretation of Champagne and its production, which tells the story of this exceptional wine from the soil to the effervescence of bubbles.

 

 

It is said that some racks are intentionally empty so that some bottles of each vintage can be preserved at the side of the best vintages produced in Bollinger’s history. This tells you the intention to prepare for its future, while honouring its legacy. 

Every year, 8 employees open some magnums without disgorging it to add to the non-vintage blends to add for a more complex flavour. 

Galerie 1829

Galerie 1829 is another project that was unveiled in June 2016 as well. The inspiration behind it is the stuff of legends and myths.

15 years ago, an intern was tasked with taking inventory of the cellars, but they stumbled upon a groundbreaking discovery. A wall of empty bottles hid a sealed wall that when knocked down revealed 600 bottles of magnum reserve wines and wine collections of the Bollinger family dating back to 1830. 

I am purely speculating here but could it be that the false wall was installed in hopes that the best vintages were hidden away during the Second World War? This is not an uncommon war story. Robert Drouhin of Burgundy had told stories of being tasked with seeking out spiders to place before a newly built wall when he was 8 years old in hopes that their webs would disguise it and thus keep the best of his father's Romanée-Conti out of Nazi hands.   

The forgotten cellar had miraculously preserved some small wooden panels that were used to eventually identify the bottles as there were some inscriptions on them. Archive research was subsequently carried out to unveil the meanings of the inscriptions. Over 4,000 bottles were restored in the end which took 3 years to complete. During the restoration period 150 vintages were tasted by the oenology team. The project enabled the Bollinger House to better understand its history and winemaking traditions.

 

 

Galerie 1829 features 65 significant vintages that include the following stars:

• Bollinger R.D. 1973 that was famously served at the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1981
• Vintages from the James Bond movie franchise 
• 1928, considered one of the greatest Champagne vintages of all time

The Tasting

Finally, we surface from the cellars to the best part – the tasting!

12 of us were led to a nice room overlooking the vineyards that can be seen from the panelled windows in the distance. 

We were shown some special bottles, including Bollinger’s 2002 James Bond 007 edition. The box opens to the passcode 007.

 

 

The House’s close association with the James Bond franchise was born out of a gentleman’s handshake between the filmmakers and the House, as informed to us by our Guide. This partnership has lasted for more than 40 years. Bollinger has appeared in 14 Bond films, with an unequivocal confirmation that Bond’s favourite vintage is the 1975 in the 1985 film “A View to Kill”. Most recently in 2021, Bollinger released the Bollinger Special Cuvée 007 Limited Edition for the 2021 film “No Time To Die.”

Now onto the tasting. Bollinger is renowned for being Pinot Noir driven. Its wines contain a higher-than-usual percentage of Pinot Noir taking up at least 60% of each wine we tried. Pinot Noir is one of the 5 pillars of Bollinger’s core values, which includes the management of the House vineyards, oak barrels, magnums of reserve wines and finally, time.

 

Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut

60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier / Cellar aged for 30- 36 months (twice the duration of appellation rules) / 12% Alcohol

This was not my first time trying this but the difference in palate was palpable due to the difference in serving temperature. Perhaps even the glass that I drank from contributed to the heightened experience.

 At home I served it at approximately 5 degrees straight from the refrigerator, but this perfect temperature of 12 degrees was a game changer. 

It has a beautiful golden colour. The bruised apple was very pronounced on the nose and was a heady delight. It has great fizz and feels vivacious in the mouth. In addition to apples, I detected hints of pear and citrus too. It is high in acidity and just overall, enjoyable to sip endlessly.

 After this visit, I am crowning it my favourite non-vintage Champagne.

 

Champagne Bollinger Rosé

62% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay, 14% Meunier / Cellar aged for 30- 36 months (twice the duration of appellation rules) / 12.5% Alcohol

My first time trying the Rosé.

The colour - It is a bright rose with subtle gold hues. On the nose it reveals a variety of red berries, red currant, cherry and strawberry. On the palate, similar flavours of wild berry with some velvety bubbles. 

We bought 2 bottles of this to store away as the Bollinger Shop ran out of the Special Cuvée. This was absolutely baffling to me as we were on the Maison property. Where were the bottles stored if not on the vast estate?

Some fun facts – did you know that the Rosé was launched by Bollinger in 2008? 

Purists may have their reservations about a Rosé. Perhaps viewing it as a trendy fad or a less serious wine for the fairer sex due its pink hues.

Bollinger instead takes the position that while Rosé is not the same as Champagne, the consumption of Rosé has its similarities to Champagne. Both are drunk as aperitifs and ever present in celebrations. 

Next time someone teases you about the Rosé, take comfort that it isn’t a frivolous libation after all.

 

Champagne Bollinger La Grande Année 2015

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay / Fermentation entirely in oak barrels and aged with natural cork for more than twice the time required by the appellation / Blend of 11 Grand Crus

2015 was regarded as a fantastic year in Champagne and most big Maisons made vintage bubblies from this year, including Bollinger. It is said that it is more opulent and powerful with Pinot Noir taking centre stage.

On the eye, it takes a yellow gold tone, a slightly darker tone than the Special Cuvée. On the nose, there is some hints of plum and honey and red fruits come through after several sniffs. On the palette I get more plum notes with a long finish. It is significantly less acidic than the Special Cuvée.

At the end, we were each asked which is our favourite glass. Personally, the Special Cuvée was my absolute favourite!

Again, I am reminded of how personal each individual’s preferences are and there was not a single glass that formed the majority amongst the 12 of us.

 

Last Take on the Visit 

After the visit, in Reims, I was asked which Champagne Houses we visited, over lunch by our waiter. Upon hearing that our first visit was to Bollinger he commented that we started with a very technical visit. 

Technical may be one way to describe it. 

The visit gave me a newfound appreciation for the dedicated craftsmanship that goes behind every single bottle produced by the House. 

Bollinger has distinguished itself from the other Champagne Houses and found its niche in sticking to the historical methods. 

In so doing, the Bollinger consumer can be assured that a big part of the production is done by hand – from the barrels to hand-riddling. 

In a world which moves at breakneck speed with more businesses keen to harness the purported promise of technology to reap maximum financial rewards, I admire Bollinger’s unwavering commitment to staying true to their values, which may even be at the expense of additional riches for the family.

I was particularly struck by my parting conversation with the Bollinger guide. When I expressed my surprise at the hand-riddling, thinking it to be perhaps only done for vintages or only partially if at all, her response touched me considerably. She mentioned that she picked this House to work for as she was an admirer of their commitment to traditions and I could see she spoke from her heart with such genuine pride and conviction. Employees are indeed the best brand ambassadors, and this personal narrative lends credence to the House’s values. Her endorsement, to me, is an equal barometer of the House, on par with the Royal Warrant.

What’s next for Bollinger?

A short walk from the Bollinger Mansion is a construction site that is due to be ready for Bollinger’s bicentennial.

Bollinger is in the process of building a new tourism centre with a 20-room luxury hotel located within Madame Lily’s family house. The artist’s impression includes a pool and a wellness area. 

 

 

Cheeky jokes were made by our group to our guide as to whether we may pre-book our stay right now.

The showpiece of the tourism centre is a cathedral-like cellar that would potentially store 1,000 barrels and a private dining area to accommodate more guests.

This seems to be an incremental approach by Bollinger to open to more wine tourists. 

Bollinger understands its mission and its consumer very well. It knows that its consumer is not necessarily swayed by trends or luxury advertising. The Bolinger consumer is a discerning connoisseur that appreciates quality and admires the House’s artisanal winemaking practices. Therefore, they would expect the same attentive hospitality when they are received at the Champagne House. 

From the House’s close association with the James Bond franchise, a visitor would also expect a similarly prestigious experience and would, consistent with their wine choices, be willing to pay a premium for such an experience.

These developments may seem to be quite a deviation from Bollinger’s current low-key by-appointment-only visit. I would, however, contend that this is the natural next step for Bollinger as a player in the luxury business. 

Immersive hospitality experiences are the next frontier of luxury. There is a growing appetite for the integration of experiences and lifestyle. Consumers crave physical touchpoints as retail shifts to the online space. The hospitality experience involves the physical senses and the shared experience with others evokes an imagined sense of community amongst the consumers.

The hospitality move by Bollinger will certainly cement its consumers’ emotional connection to the brand, thus building continual brand loyalty. The memories of the visit from sumptuous dinners or a good night’s sleep at the hotel will form a deep connection that will last long after the visit. Visitors can revisit their memories from photographs taken and telling tales of their fabulous stay.

It is a strategic move to keep the hotel to 20 rooms. 20 is perfect for Bollinger to showcase its meticulous attention to detail, and the low supply will drive the scarcity effect, thereby making a stay at the home that Madame Lily once lived in all the more prestigious and desirable.

This is an exciting time for the House of Bollinger, and I can’t wait to see how their plans will unfurl.

Until the opportunity arises to visit the soon-to-be unveiled hotel, should the fates allow, I will be sipping Bollinger’s Special Cuvée from tropical Singapore. Santé!

 

 

@crystaltonic