In the sixth century Count Attila – Lord of Pagus – gave the lands of Bouzy to Saint Basles. The reputation of the wines harvested on this hillside spread very quickly outside of the Montagne de Reims. Soon afterward, the best wines from Bouzy were regularly served at every Coronation banquet held for the French Kings in Reims.
It was during the reign of the « Sun King » however, that Bouzy acheived its reknown status.
The Marquise of Sévigné, upon discovering the wines from the Montagne de Reims, wrote about them in her famous letters to her daughter…thereby marking their place in posterity.
Louis XIV, despite warnings from his doctor, preferred the wines from Champagne above all others. It was during this period that Father Godinot, (whose family owned a magnificent vineyard in Bouzy) contributed his knowledge to the discovery of the champagne method.
The wines of Bouzy were listed in Louis XVI’s inventory book of at Versailles.
All during the 18th and 19th centuries, the first champagnes were marketed and sold under the name « Cru de Provenance, » The words « Grand Vin du Trésor de Bouzy » (Great Wine from the Treasure of Bouzy,) « Fine Fleur de Bouzy, » etc… were written on bottle labels.
With the industrial revolution (mid 19th century) the term « Cru » was replaced by the term « Champagne, » but it wasn’t until the Great Depression in 1930 that the name Bouzy was designated on champagne labels. – (translation Susan Adda)
Classified Grand Cru in 1895, Bouzy is fortunate to have a unique place in Champagne. Its sunny, full-facing southern exposure allows for the exceptional maturity of Pinot Noir, Bouzy’s principle grape variety.
(In Champagne, only 17 of the 300 classified villages have been designated with the A.O.C. GRAND CRU. Recognized for the quality of their soil and specific climate conditions, these villages possess exceptional attributes for the development of champagne grape varieties.)
Hundreds of thousands of champagne bottles are produced each year from the Bouzy vineyards, that stretch out over 380 hectares.
True « specialty » of the village, the Bouzy Rouge (A.O.P. Coteaux Champenois) is a wine of world renown and part of the great heritage of the « Vins de France » (French wines)
Served during the sacred coronations of the Kings of France in Reims, this red wine from the Montagne de Reims caused quite a stir, in opposition to Burgundy’s great wines, inspiring many a thesis on the subject at La Sorbonne.
Louis XIV preferred the Champagne wines, but his personal doctor, Dr. Fagon, under influence from the Burgundians, insisted that he be treated only with Burgundy!
Au XIXème siècle, on pouvait lire dans l’ouvrage de référence sir les vignobles que: « les vins de Bouzy se distinguent surtout par leur délicatesse et leur bouquet ».
La période difficile de l’entre deux guerres avec la crise de 1929 devait contraindre les vignerons de Bouzy à commercialiser directement leur production. Forts de ce vin inimitable, ils allèrent le faire connaître à travers la France, puis dans le monde.
Le Bouzy Rouge est l’expression même du Pinot Noir. De couleur rubis, il vous enivre d’arômes de fruits rouges et particulièrement de griotte, de sureau, de pêche. Sa vivacité typiquement champenoise lui confère à la fois un bouquet explosif dans sa jeunesse et une très belle aptitude au vieillissement.