Since the start in 1829, the Bollinger family has created champagne built on tradition and craftsmanship. They are one of the few champagne houses that remain 100% family-owned. Bollinger is known for its distinctive style and quality is always in focus. Pinot noir is the house’s signature and the wine’s first fermentation takes place wholly or partly in small, old oak barrels which gives it the brioche style.
Oak barrels are a fundamental part of Bollinger’s DNA. The house has access to nearly 4,000 barrels, all maintained by its own team of coopers. Bollinger champagnes always contain a high proportion of reserve wines, which contribute quality, complexity, and maturity.
In its cellars, which extend for more than five kilometres, Bollinger stores over 800,000 reserve wines in magnum bottles, a practice unique to the house. These wines are carefully preserved vintage by vintage, vineyard by vineyard, and grape variety by grape variety.
The second fermentation takes place in the bottle, and the extended ageing on the lees allows the champagnes to develop fine, soft bubbles and a creamy texture. Riddling and disgorgement are carried out by hand for all vintage champagnes. Bollinger has never abandoned this traditional artisanal method, which helps to develop aromas of remarkable finesse. All of these practices contribute to the recipe for Bollinger’s powerful, toasty, and richly textured champagnes.
The stately Bollinger house is located in the Grand Cru village of Aÿ. In total, the house owns over 178 hectares of land, which covers approximately 60% of their needs. The remaining grapes are purchased from growers they have worked with for many years, all to ensure quality. Although Bollinger has a big name, it is a small producer in the grand scheme of things. Bollinger accounts for only 1% of total champagne production.
For Bollinger, which is extremely dependent on the quality of the grapes that nature provides, it is self-evident to work in a sustainable way. Bollinger is the first champagne house to have met the criteria for the two environmental certifications High Environmental Value and Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne.
