Bollinger's archives contain an unusual letter, penned by Madame Lily Bollinger herself in 1963 and addressed, surprisingly, to the house of Krug. Having lost her husband Jacques, head of the house, in 1941, 'Madame Jacques' was entrusted with maintaining Bollinger's prestige at a time when Champagne's cellars were modernising.
At the beginning, she didn't know the daily work of the house,' explains Bollinger's current chef de cave Denis Bunner. "But she put her trust in André Bergeot, the cellar master at the time. She was loyal to oak, and she wanted to start an association to help keep the tradition.'
Krug, then, was first on the invitation list. But why the desire to establish such an association in the first place?
There aren't many places where the use of oak in vinification is much of a story, after all. Champagne, though, undertook a very particular journey through the second half of the 20th century that saw an almost-complete abandonment of oak by the 1960s and 1970s.
Before the 1950s there were 150 tonnelleries (barrel makers) in Champagne,' points out Sébastien Le Golvet, chef de cave at Henri Giraud. The advent of concrete and then stainless steel tanks in the 1960s proved particularly attractive to the Champenois, whose volumes could be sizeable and whose wines took much of their roundness and texture from- rather than oak - reserve wines [from previous harvests, stored and matured], ageing on lees, and dosage [the addition after secondary fermentation of a liqueur' mix of sugar dissolved in wines, according to the intended final style of the wine].
Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de Decanter.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de Decanter.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Wine wisdom
Our regular learning section helps you get more from your glass
Around ABRUZZO
A stunning, under-explored, year-round destination with an extraordinary natural setting, Abruzzo’s appeal lies in its rustic villages and a sunny-natured, hospitable local character
UMBRIA A wine lover's guide
In the heart of Italy lies an undulating landscape dotted with hilltop villages and draped with olive groves, where winemakers are breathing new life into long-neglected indigenous grape varieties
Lessons in LAMBRUSCO
Coming from the same region of northern Italy as some of the world’s most famous names in food, the wide range of Lambrusco wines provide ample scope for complementing meals both local and international, while refreshing the palate, too
Sustainable cocktails THE FUTURE?
In every industry, it's pretty much the hottest topic right now, but what does the S-word mean when it comes to cocktail-making? Leading experts give us their take and share eco-conscious recipes to replicate at home
VENTOUX AOC The rising star of the Rhône
The Southern Rhone appellation is emerging as a community-led force of innovation and sustainability.
Polkadraai Hills
This lesser-known corner of South Africa’s Stellenbosch region is starting to turn heads, thanks to its special soils and a close-knit community of talented young winemakers
BY FARR
The enigmatic Nick Farr, of Australia's celebrated By Farr winery, is famously reluctant to entertain the wine media or submit samples for tasting. So we jumped at an opportunity to visit the family estate in Geelong to taste some of the country's most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Brunello di Montalcino 2019: 30 picks from a 5-star vintage
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess
Brunello di Montalcino 2019
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess