Compared with many Champagne houses that have been around for a century or more, Bruno Paillard is a relative newcomer. Although members of the Paillard family worked as growers and brokers in the Champagne region from the early 1700s, none produced Champagne commercially until 1981. At 27, Bruno Paillard sold his vintage Jaguar for 50,000 francs and used the proceeds to establish Champagne Bruno Paillard. In 2007 he began a new family chapter when his daughter Alice, then in her twenties, joined the house. After gaining hands-on experience in the vineyards and cellar and studying the business side of the trade, she is now co-director.
Bruno Paillard remains one of the few family-owned Champagne houses, allowing the family to set standards without outside investor pressure and focus squarely on quality. The house pursues that quality through extended bottle aging, lighter dosage for a fresher and drier style, attention to complexity, limited production, and careful selection of markets and importers.
I recently tasted several Bruno Paillard Champagnes with Alice and found the range to be consistently elegant and well-made. Below are a few highlights, with approximate prices for a 750 ml bottle.
Champagne Bruno Paillard Brut Première Cuvée (about $50) — This blend of Champagne’s three classic grapes, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, shows lively character. The nose offers a touch of citrus, while the palate delivers various fruit flavors with a gentle toasty note.
Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (about $70) — Made entirely from Chardonnay sourced from Grand Cru vineyards, this Blanc de Blancs displays fine, persistent bubbles with floral and citrus aromas. It feels fresh and lively, with a hint of warm bread, brisk acidity, and a long, satisfying finish.
Champagne N.P.U. “Nec Plus Ultra” 2003 (about $200) — N.P.U., an abbreviation of Nec Plus Ultra, represents Bruno Paillard’s ultimate expression. Created only in the finest vintages and without regard for cost, it embodies the house’s ambition to produce the greatest Champagne it can. The 2003 N.P.U. is notable for its refined elegance and depth, living up to its name as an exceptional, state-of-the-art cuvée.