Champagne BoizelA true family affair !

Champagne Boizel

At the Boizel’s, passing things down is taken very seriously…passing down a domain, passing down know-how, passing down the love for the terroir and the vines, passing down passion… for Champagne!

What’s in a name? There’s no doubt that, in Boizel, there’s plenty; with the sixth generation of the Boizels just learning the ropes at the helm of the ship! It all started in 1834, in Epernay, on the famous ‘Avenue de Champagne’, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape. Since then, the family has been giving it their best, as did Auguste and Julie when, in 1834, they boldly dove into this sparkling adventure. A boldness that has sailed through the centuries to offer us today a pleasant cruise through the world of Champagne according to Boizel.

Getting there

We had been dreaming about it for a while, but in May of 2018, Boizel did it…

They opened their renowned cellars to expose the sumptuous depths of their soul. When you enter the famous courtyard typical of these 19th century Champagne homes, you are instantly plunged into the ambiance! The excitement grows… what will we discover in the womb of this exceptional house? We feel privileged; indeed, in order that these visits be personalized and so that the family can answer our many questions, small groups of a maximum of twelve people are welcomed individually…what an honor!

We gradually dive into the depths of the long-awaited cellars to discover the true nature of the Boizel adventure, where impassioned generations follow one after another. Here, we learn everything about this luxurious, yet festive beverage, and, most of all, about the very particular way of making it, respectful of the traditional winemakers’ craft. The pages of this long story were first written by Auguste and Julie, then succeeded by Edouard and Adèle, Jules and Louise, René and Erica and, lastly, Evelyne and Christophe, who will be closely followed by the new generation… Florent and Lionel Boizel. So you can see that, here, the family affair is not to be taken lightly!

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An unforgettable plunge into the cellars

The plunge into the cellars offers us a fascinating spectacle that originated in the 19th century. The Sparnacien vaults (from Epernay), traditional to this region, remind us of the great days of the city’s reconstruction. Indeed, Epernay mainly owes its development to the production of champagne and the arrival of the train in 1849. The architectural styles allow for a certain creative liberty and demonstrate their originality thanks to the intervention of numerous architects and artists of the time, such as Jacques Gruber, famous decorator and glass painter from the ‘Ecole de Nancy’.

Secrets of the house

But let us return to the “bubbles” at hand, which we will soon know everything about. In the wine cellar, with its large wooden casks and oak barrels, the mingling of the sweet fragrances of wood and wine in-the-making delightfully intoxicates us. But we must remain sharp in order to join the treasure that lies ahead, the “Boizel treasure” which, much like the treasure of a cathedral, is hidden away in a secret chamber. Here, one can find 11 bottles that were made, as was the house, in 1834. These bottles were the first pieces of a treasure that today holds some of the most precious vintages: 1870, 1893, 1929, 1945…You can sense the excitement bubbling within us as we get closer to the long awaited tasting. We are guided towards a private lounge where we will be taught to taste Champagne properly (for those of us who are new to the art) – What a day!