Bollinger

Few names are as evocative as Bollinger. Its champagnes have long been associated with its most famous matriarch, Madame Lily Bollinger, and of course, fictional British spy legend, James Bond. It is one of the last few independent champagne houses whose legacy began in 1829 with a chance meeting between the estate’s owner, Athanse de Villermont, champagne enthusiast Joseph Bollinger and Paul Renaudin. Together they created one of the most prominent Champagne houses.

The estate owns 178 hectares of vines, split into seven vineyards, of which 85% of which are Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites. Bollinger is unique for cultivating almost all of its own grapes, plus two exclusive plots, Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres, which have remained phylloxera free on ungrafted vines. Pinot Noir dominates most blends and is credited for Bollinger’s incomparable style and complexity. Bollinger was the first champagne house to receive the Patrimoine Vivant seal of quality, which recognises exceptional craftsmanship, and in 1884 Queen Victoria bestowed a Royal Warrant which remains to this day.