Champagne Bollinger has opened the first major landmark in its countdown to 2029, a newly built winery in Aÿ that Vitisphere covers in “Bollinger Opens a New ‘Cathedral’ Winery Ahead of its Wine Tourism and Hospitality Activities for its Bicentenary.” The project marks the opening act in a series of investments the Champagne house is rolling out before its 200th anniversary.
The renovation reshaped the cellar’s 22,000-square-meter footprint, both structurally and technically, bringing the entire oak winemaking process under one roof. Bollinger says the upgrade pushes barrel capacity to 5,000, making it “the house with the largest barrel fermentation capacity in Champagne.” The new space, described by the company as a cathedral winery opening onto the vines, also folds in the house’s cooperage and its resident cooper, along with three new tasting areas.
The winery serves as the anchor for a broader rollout of wine tourism and hospitality projects between now and 2029, including a redesigned visitor experience launching in 2027 and hotel plans following in 2028.
Check out the full story HERE and Champagne Bollinger’s announcement HERE.
