FEATURES ARCHIVE

“I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone.When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.” - Lilly Bollinger

Champagne is often thought of as a drink only fit for celebrations but in fact is the perfect ice breaker to inaugurate a party, the perfect consolation for a dreary moment and as Lilly Bollinger would put it, the perfect remedy if you’re simply thirsty.

The last remaining independent Champagne house, Bollinger comprises over 150 hectares of vineyards. Founded in 1829 by Jacques Bollinger and two friends, the estate has been run by members of the Bollinger family ever since. Following Jacques’ death in 1941, his wife Lilly took over and expanded the estate purchasing more vineyards and introducing the wonderful wine to fabulous parties and discerning drinkers all around the world.

Bollinger produce incredibly high quality Champagnes following traditional methods. They age their wines longer than most other houses, allowing them to develop in a natural way which tends to produce more character. All Grande Année Champagnes must spend at least five years of time ageing on their lees in the bottle before they are ready. This means that they must spend a several years sitting in the bottles with all the sediment before it can be removed by a process of disgorgement and replaced with a little bit of sugar or dosage. In the case of Grande Année Champagnes they are riddled by hand, a process which requires the bottles to be lightly shaken every few days as they sit at a 45 degree angle on their lees. The shaking and tapping helps to encourage the sediment to settle at the neck of the bottle to prepare it for disgorgement. Naturally, this is cost and labour intensive, but the result is ultimately a remarkable one which can be tasted when the Champagne is ready to be drunk.