THE BRUNO PAILLARD STYLE
A VERY
PERSONAL STYLE
Maison BRUNO PAILLARD sprang from its founder’s desire to create a champagne different from any other; extremely pure.
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 quintessential finesse and elegance which champagne can bring when it is served with love and care.
The BRUNO PAILLARD 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 has to be delicate. The bubbles are very tiny, almost microscopic, yet they are what release the wine’s aromas and give it a smooth and creamy texture on the palate.
The colour has to be completely natural. It is bright: green gold for Blanc de Blancs, golden for Première Cuvée and copper for Rosé. The colour of the vintages becomes deeper, and almost amber after several decades.
The aromas have to 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.
THE BRUNO PAILLARD STYLE
STRONG COMMITMENTS
Respect for the terroir
Preserving the inimitable chalky minerality of Champagne terroir, is a priority of the Maison. Great care is taken in the BRUNO PAILLARD vineyards, to work sustainably and express this specificity.
Respect for Quality
The pursuit of excellence at Bruno Paillard is manifested at every step of the winemaking. The quality charter has been created through simple criterias which are strictly adhered to:
• Selection of the highest quality grapes: each year, a part of the grapes –grands crus or not –are downgraded.
• Use of the first pressing only: Juice from the second pressing is systematically declassified.
• Separate vinifications: each “cru” is vinified separately in tank or barrel to allow a precise selection during the blends.
• Addition of “Reserve Wines”: for the multi-vintages Champagnes; incorporating “Reserve Wines” gives consistency to the house style. Depending upon the characteristics of the year, the amount which is added varies from 25% to 50%.
• Ageing two to four times longer than the legal minimum in Champagne… it can reach 15 years for the N.P.U. -“Nec Plus Ultra” (five times what is imposed for a single vintage!)
• Dosage is always “Extra Brut” (extremely low), respecting the purity of the wines.
• The wine rests in the cellar after disgorgement, typically for 5 to 18 months, depending on the vintage.
Champagne – respecting our region
“We must serve the Champagne appellation, not use it.”
Faithful to this saying and a lover of the Champagne region, Bruno Paillard is committed to defend the region and takes active role in shaping it.
Elected in 2001 to manage the “commission on defense of the appellation” department of the C.I.V.C (Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins de Champagne) he works on the respect of the Champagne Appellation in the world. He has also been an elected administrator of Union des Maisons de Champagne since 1989.
He also heads the quality commission on the “Champagne 2030 project”.
Respect for the Consumer :
The disgorgement date
In 1983, BRUNO PAILLARD became the first champagne producer to display the disgorgement date on every single bottle, and not only on his prestige cuvée.
By doing this, he tells the consumer about a key moment in the life of a champagne bottle: Disgorgement is like a second birth for the wine. Each bottle then returns to the cellar to rest for 5 to 18 additional months before shipment.
From that day, a natural process of ageing begins which is unique to Champagne. The aromatic evolution from fruits to flowers to spices is fascinating to the taster.
Applauded by connoisseurs, this initiative is slowly being embraced by other Champagne brands.
THE BRUNO PAILLARD STYLE
AN UNIQUE STORY
OF A MAN IN LOVE
WITH CHAMPAGNE
Bruno Paillard was born in Reims in 1953. His lineage of brokers and growers in the two Grands Crus villages of Bouzy and Verzenay dates back to 1704. Following in the family’s footsteps, he started working as a broker in 1975, acquiring a deep and extensive knowledge of Champagne.
But after six years, he had an overwhelming desire to create a different Champagne: one that would go beyond what existed in terms of purity and elegance.
He was 27 years old and didn’t have a penny to his name, let alone a vineyard. In January 1981, armed with nothing but his sense of determination, Bruno Paillard sold his old Jaguar, a collector’s item, to fuel his dream and start his company.
This might have seemed like a moment of madness in a region that had not seen a new house in nearly a century, and which was characterised by a conservative attitude.
However, this young champagne pioneer was determined to achieve his dream.
Bruno Paillard started producing his champagnes in a rented cellar using carefully selected grapes from independent growers.
In 1984, he invented the first totally “above-ground” cellar. This brand new design allowed him to strictly regulate the temperature, lighting and humidity.
And soon, the very personal style of his wines begins to seduce. BRUNO PAILLARD Champagnes are first recognised by the English Press as some of the best wines of the region. In 1988, the famous critic Hugh Johnson defined the house as “A small but prestigious young champagne house with excellent silky vintages and non vintage!”
In 1990, Bruno Paillard drew the current winery with architect Jacques Bléhaut: a state of the art structure with stainless steel, glass and wood symbolizing the three noble vessels of Champagne.
Revolutionary, this new cellar combines the traditional know how with the newest qualitative techniques.
In 1994, Bruno Paillard bought his first vineyard: three grand cru hectares in Oger in the Côte des Blancs.
From this point on, he patiently began to build up his remarkable vineyard that now covers 32 hectares, including 12 grands crus that provide more than half of all the grapes that the house needs. The remainder are still purchased from the same independent growers, from more than 30 different villages, who have been Paillard’s partners for many years now.
In January 2007 his daughter, Alice Paillard, decided to join and continue the BP family adventure. Having worked in the vineyards and then in the cellar for the first year, this was followed by four years dedicated to developing exports. Alice now co-manages the Maison with her father.
Today the Maison BRUNO PAILLARD – still independent and resolutely faithful to its style – export 75% of this wines through 30 different countries – mostly to Europe, Asia and Northern America.
Wherever they are represented, the Champagnes of BRUNO PAILLARD are exclusively sold through restaurants and fine wine stores. This selective distribution is a guarantee of quality for the client thanks to the good care of sommeliers and fine wine merchants for each bottle.
