Location and Terroir
Bouzy is a commune in the French department of Marne and administratively belongs to the Grand Est region and to the Épernay arrondissement. The town is located in the Champagne wine-growing region Champagne, in the Montagne de Reims. The vineyards extend along the south-facing slopes of their south side. Limestone-rich, well-drained soils combine with subsoils of chalk and clay.
Grape Varieties and Wine Style
Pinot Noir is considered the traditional grape variety of Bouzy. Chardonnay is also grown and used by local producers. Historically, the place is associated with Champagne wines shaped by Pinot Noir and the still red wine Bouzy Rouge. Bouzy has been classified as a Grand Cru commune since 1895; for wines from the commune, the Champagne appellation may be supplemented with the designation Grand Cru. The Champagne appellation is reserved for white or rosé sparkling wines.
History of Winegrowing
The commune records winegrowing in Bouzy at least since the sixth century. Wines from the slopes were served at royal coronation banquets in Reims. During the Champagne crisis of the 1930s, the name Bouzy returned to wine labels, when local winemakers produced and marketed their wines themselves.
Cultivation and Maturation
The estate Champagne Pierre Paillard cultivates its Bouzy vineyards organically, uses a massal selection of Pinot Noir and careful vine pruning to preserve the flow of the juice. The wines mature there for ten months in barrels on the fine lees and then for three to ten years in a chalk cellar. Natural yeasts are used and, depending on the producer’s method, a malolactic fermentation is carried out.
