One of the highlights of our International Grand Chapitre in Aix-en-Provence last month was the partnership established with the Champagne house Bruno Paillard.

Maison Bruno Paillard sprang from its founder’s desire to create a champagne different from any other; extremely pure.

The house was founded in 1981 by Bruno Paillard after he had worked as a broker in the region since 1975. The first own vineyards were bought in 1994 and the house's own 26 hectares (64 acres) supply around one-third of the grapes need for the annual production of over half a million bottles.

A great champagne for Bruno Paillard is - above all - an “assemblage” (blending) of diverse crus, grape varieties and vintages. It is about the constant desire to capture the elegance which Champagne can bring when it is served with love and care.

This very personal style is a marriage of elegance and complexity which is manifested as a light and smooth effervescence, a remarkable purity, a true freshness and a silky texture. The effervescence brings the aromas of the wine to the taster’s nose and a smooth texture to the palate.

The colour of the wines needs to be completely natural. It is bright: green gold for Blanc de Blancs, golden for Première Cuvée Extra-Brut and copper for Rosé. The colour of the vintages becomes deeper, and almost amber after several decades.

The aromas must be extremely pure: nuances of citrus fruits and almonds from Chardonnay; red fruits from Pinot Noir; and exotic fruits from Pinot Meunier. By using only the first pressing of the grapes, we ensure that the purest aromas are extracted.

The freshness has to be perceptible but not overwhelming. It is enhanced by the acidity of the wine, yet the wine is not acidic in taste. Only a minimum of extra sugar is added (“dosage”) to enhance this remarkable freshness.

Complexity must not be confused with heaviness; rather, it is more about elegance. The balance and the depth of the wines are what gives them their purity. Complexity only reveals itself to those who take time to discover, emerging as the wines age.

Below you will find the range of Champagnes produced by Maison Bruno Paillard.

MULTI-VINTAGE CHAMPAGNES: A timeless style
Of the highest quality, these wines can withstand both good and bad years, remaining true to themselves. To achieve this, the blends include 25% to 50% of reserve wines kept either in tanks or in small oak barrels. These reserve wines are wines already blended from the previous year, themselves including 25% to 50% of reserve wines from the previous year as well, going back to the origin of the Maison. Preserved from the vagaries of time, the Multi-Vintage champagnes are the very expression of the Bruno Paillard style.

Première cuvée: Extra-brut
Harmony and balance

Rosé Première Cuvée
Subtlety and vivacity

Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
Finesse and minerality

Dosage Zéro
Salinity and depth

Cuvée 72
Abundance and voluptuousness

Blanc de noirs Grand Cru
Velvet and delicacy

VINTAGE CHAMPAGNES: Sublimating the memory of a time
Vintage Champagnes express through the Bruno Paillard style, the quintessence of one specific year. Only the best years are selected to become a future ambassador of the past. The blend of grape varieties and vintages varies according to its richness and particularities. This is why Bruno Paillard wanted to individualise his vintages and express their nature on the label: to each year its character, to each character its word, to each word its artist and to each artist his canvas.

Blanc de blancs 2014
Vintage Extra-Brut - “Gourmand”

Assemblage 2015
Vintage Extra-Brut - “Momentum”

Prepared by a Chaîne News Online Staff Writer
Researched from the www.brunopaillard.com website and Instagram. E&OE

Champagne Bruno Paillard
avenue de Champagne
51100 Reims
France

Tel: +33 (0)3 26 36 20 22
Web: champagnebrunopaillard.com