Blanc de Noir's Triumph

Pinot noir has always been a cornerstone at Champagne Bollinger. In the next two millennia, the varietal will define the house most explicitly.

- NIMMI MALHOTRA

Champagne measures time in decades, not years. Even millennia can pass.

When soils date back to the Jurassic era, and with champagne houses boasting of centuries-old credentials, it should come as no surprise to learn that at least one, Champagne Bollinger, has already laid plans for the next 200 years. As history runs deep here, so must the future.

Just seven years shy of its 200th birthday, Bollinger is one of the most iconic grand champagne houses. Preparations for its bicentennial celebrations include massive refurbishments and renovations to the property, including an on-site 20-room hotel slated to launch in 2026, opening the house to wine tourism for the first time in its history.

“This is the largest investment in our history,” Managing Director Charles-Armand de Belenet said at a winery presentation in September. A 5,000-barrel barrel room with an open view of the vineyards, private tasting rooms, and the conversion of Elisabeth Salmon’s old house into a reception centre are all included in the plan.

The company will also move towards sustainability over the next seven years, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent and increasing nature areas by a further 40 per cent to promote biodiversity.

The family-run Champagne Bollinger is based in the grand cru village of Äy, close to Épernay, a commune in the Marne department of northern France. Vineyards extend as far as the eye can see, mainly on south-facing slopes producing the most powerful expressions of pinot noir in champagne. “Äy is the kingdom of pinot noir,” reiterated Denis Bunner, the company’s Deputy Chef de Cave. “And pinot noir is the cornerstone of Bollinger.”