Bollinger
Maison Bollinger is located in Ay and was founded in 1829 by Athanase Louis Emmanuel Count of Villermont, who chose to join in partnership with German Joseph Bollinger and wine enthusiast Paul Ranaudin.
Over the years, after successfully imposing its bubbles especially in the English and U.S. markets, it was Joseph Bollinger who became the man-symbol of the Maison.
Universally recognized for the great quality of its wines, the winery, thanks to the privileged location of its own vineyards and also thanks to a strict production ethic, even enshrined in principles put in writing, has been established internationally for years.
To give an example of the strict rules followed by the winery, suffice it to say that only the must from the first pressing is used for the production of Champagnes, while all that obtained from the second pressing is sold to other wineries. Currently, the maison can count on a vineyard extension that comes to cover more than 160 hectares, most of which are divided between the mountain of Reims and the territory of Ay.
Classified for more than half as Grand Cru, and as Premier Cru for the remainder, the vineyards are raised with meticulous care, so the plants grow with full respect for the environment and ecosystem. In addition to pinot meunier and chardonnay, it is above all pinot noir the grape variety around which the assemblages of the maison revolve, which by skillfully using the grapes of this varietal manages to give its Champagnes richness, vinosity and roundness.
From Brut "Special Cuvée" to Extra Brut "R.D.," from Rosé to vintage, in the historic aging cellars, composed of miles of underground passages, all Bollinger Champagnes mature from three to eight years, far longer than required by the specifications, ensuring the perfect development of aromas and always expressing the greatest possible balance.