Bruno Paillard moves Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru to darker glass
The Reims Champagne house says the oak-colored bottle offers greater protection from light and permits substantially more recycled glass than a clear bottle.
Champagne Bruno Paillard announced on Thursday, 5 November that its Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is moving from clear glass to a new oak-colored bottle. The Reims house had already adopted the same type of packaging change for Première Cuvée Extra-Brut.1
The producer said the darker tint provides better protection from light, improving storage and aging conditions while reducing the bottle’s environmental impact. According to the house, bottles in the new color had already spent more than 4 years aging in its cellars before release.1
Recycled glass and Champagne
Bruno Paillard said glass accounts for nearly 15% of greenhouse gas emissions in the Champagne industry. Tinted bottles can contain an average of at least 85% recycled cullet, compared with about 25% in clear glass, reducing demand for the natural raw materials used to manufacture bottles.1
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, one of the house’s core wines, is a Champagne made from Chardonnay grown in grand cru vineyards. The company presented its new bottle as part of a wider sustainability strategy, with the wine joining Première Cuvée Extra-Brut in darker glass.1
A broader environmental program
The house said environmental considerations have influenced its work for more than 40 years. It has avoided herbicides since Bruno Paillard acquired his 1st vineyards, and it said its viticultural practices aim to protect soils and reinforce root systems.1
All energy purchased by the company comes from renewable sources, while repairability and lower energy consumption guide equipment investments. Bruno Paillard cited insulation installed in its modern cellar in 1990 and its Avize site, built in 2024, which it said can produce more energy than it consumes.1
Its packaging measures include recycling solutions for packaging rolls and 100% recyclable kraft cartons. The house also uses uniform materials in wooden cases and boxes to make them easier to reuse or recycle.1
The end of clear glass
Alice Paillard, owner of Maison Bruno Paillard, connected the new color with the house’s respect for its ecosystem and vineyard terroirs. She also described the move as the end of white, or clear, glass for Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru.1
Based on Avenue de Champagne in Reims, in northeastern France’s Champagne region, Bruno Paillard characterized the change as another step in reducing its carbon footprint.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
