Bollinger Opens the Champagne Region's Largest Wood Vinification Winery

What happened

Maison Bollinger has unveiled a new winery in the Champagne region of France, dedicated entirely to wood vinification. The facility is the largest of its kind in Champagne, setting a new benchmark for the scale at which traditional wooden vessel fermentation can be practised within the appellation.

Why it matters

The investment represents a significant infrastructural commitment by one of Champagne's established houses. At a time when much of the industry has moved towards stainless steel and other modern materials, the deliberate construction of a facility on this scale signals a clear strategic orientation towards wood vinification as a defining element of the house's production philosophy. The sheer size of the winery amplifies that signal considerably: this is not a boutique gesture towards heritage, but a substantial allocation of resources to a specific technical approach. For producers and observers across the region, it raises questions about the renewed relevance of traditional vinification methods in contemporary Champagne-making.

Context

Wood vinification — the fermentation and, in some cases, ageing of base wines in oak barrels or casks — has long been associated with a particular style of Champagne, one that proponents argue brings texture, complexity, and a distinctive oxidative character to the finished wine. Whilst the technique fell out of widespread favour during the latter half of the twentieth century as temperature-controlled stainless steel vats became the industry standard, a number of houses have maintained or revived the practice as a point of differentiation. Maison Bollinger has historically been associated with this approach to vinification. The opening of this new facility in 2026 extends that association into a new chapter, giving the house the capacity to pursue wood vinification at a scale previously unseen in the region.