Champagne Maison Bruno Paillard is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Perpetual Reserve (RP), the identity core of its most populous cuvées: Première Cuvée and Cuvée 72. The RP, renewed every year, ensures continuity and recognizability to the house’s style. Sissi Baratella tells us about it.
Bruno Paillard is a Maison but first of all it is a winery; produces Champagne but also wines that never die. It was born in 1981 with Bruno Paillard and immediately with a clear idea of Champagne in mind. The plan was there, all that was missing were the tools to put it into action, one of them: the time. Reason why, since 1985 they started to set aside reserve wine by starting a Perpetual Reserve which turns 40 years old today.
Forty years of depth and complexity, key ingredients to make, not great selections, but two of the Maison’s most everyday wines captivating and memorable; three-dimensional and never predictable. Different every year and every year true to themselves.
La Perpetual Reserve (RP for ease) by Bruno Paillard is the wine that changes every year so that nothing changes. It is an ingredient that makes up 1/3 of the final recipe of Premiere Cuvée Extra Brut and Cuvée 72 Extra Brut. The remaining 2/3 that make up the majority is the vintage wine.
But how is it realized? Forget anything that can lead back to oxidative sensations, is not a Solera method as one would think. The vintages get to know each other from year to year between steel and wooden barrels (to a lesser extent), and in blending together they evolve intact, protected from excessive evolution., maintaining a vibrant energy functional then to the making of Champagne.
Champagne Experience
For the first time, in early October, Champagne Experience-an event now in its eighth year-was held in Bologna. Always desired by Excellence srl Sidi, an association that brings together twenty-one of Italy’s leading importers and distributors of wines of excellence, it is now essential appointment for enthusiasts and industry insiders.
It is also a tasty opportunity for small Vignerons and large Maisons (and their representatives in Italy) to talk to the Italian public, which seems to be among the most thirsty for the magnificent French perlage and can’t get enough of it. How can you blame us since Champagne is a universal synonym for elegance, joie de vivre and well-being.
Perpetual Reserve for “everyday wine”
There I had the opportunity to exchange a few but crystal-clear opinions with Alice Paillard, at the helm of the Maison. Alice decided on such an important occasion to celebrate its most POP wines, those made using RP.
Premier Cuvée and Cuvée 72 are born this way: each year’s base vintage wine follows two paths.
A portion will serve to feed the RP by blending with a wine already made up of wines from all previous vintages. The Reserve Wine thus enriched with a new vintage will continue its rest in the cellar between steel and wooden barrels.
Another part of vintage wine, on the other hand, will be added to the RP of the moment in the doses of 2/3 and 1/3 to then proceed to bottling and frothing.
What makes the use of RP so special is that it constitutes a choice that goes beyond the “signature” of the chef de cave by conferring recognizability and continuity to the products across vintages and time leading to an inevitable falling in love with that style and drinkability.
Bruno Paillard’s ingredients.
-
The differentiation: The grapes come from different and dislocated plots.
- The continuity: Paillard is among the youngest companies but with the oldest Perpetual Reserve, this has been the key ingredient in ensuring continuity over the years at the product and style levels.
- The patience: In fact, there is no rush to make the draught. This does not take place until June of the year following the harvest.
- The waiting after disgorgement: fundamental period and now a trademark for all labels. Premier Cuvée is not released until 6 months after disgorgement, Cuvée 72 even waits a minimum of 5 years after disgorgement.
Bottle Sharing, an opportunity even for younger people
Premiere Cuvée and Cuvée 72 cost (approximately) €55.00 and €70.00, respectively. Not exactly for every day for every pocket, but absolutely (and intentionally) affordable. I find it interesting that one can drink such an important wine with an ambitious project at a double-digit price.
But Paillard doesn’t stop there, and offers (on demand in Italy as well) box sets that are ideal for Bottle Sharing. Imagine then that you are on your first experience and want to taste more than one wine to get some experience. The Box Collection Anciens Degorgement I find it a brilliant solution. The two cuvées and one cuvée several years after disgorgement for a well-rounded experience.
Premiere Cuvée Extra Brut Bruno Paillard
Score: 93/100
Average price in wine shop: € 55,00
45% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 22% Meunier. Partly fermented in wood. Classic method, 3 years on the lees. Straw yellow, very fine perlage. Fresh and clean nose with precise notes of ripe apricot, dried flowers and almond. On the palate the perlage is felt with great pleasantness. Prevalence of sweet citrus, persistent sensations. Balanced finish.
Cuvée 72 Extra Brut Bruno Paillard
Score: 94/100
Average price in wine shop: € 70,00
45% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 22% Meunier. Partly fermented in wood. Classic method, 3 years on lees, released a minimum of 3 years after disgorgement. Straw yellow with antiqued notes, fast and continuous perlage. Open nose with notes of dried apricot and walnut husk. Salty sensations follow. Elegant on the palate, it surprises with beautiful acidity. Creamy, it leaves sensations of pastry.
