Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Still Red Wines of the Montagne de Reims
2. Wine Production at Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin
3. The Bouzy and Ambonnay Vineyards
4. Life, Harvest, and Commerce in 1872
5. Mailly and the Northern Slopes
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Still Red Wines of the Montagne de Reims
On the north and south slopes of the Montagne de Reims, blanketed with vines and crowned with forests teeming with wild boars, two distinguished still red wines are cultivated: those of Rilly-la-Montagne and Bouzy. These wines, locally regarded as the finest, are produced within the vineyards of Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin.
M. Werlé initiated an experiment by shipping a dozen bottles of 1802 vintage wine to New York along with cases of Champagne. Upon return, after months of rest and rotation, the wine became brilliantly clear and deliciously flavored, albeit with a tawny hue reminiscent of aged rancio.
The exact method employed by M. Werlé to refine Rilly-la-Montagne’s wine remains unknown, though it’s unlikely the process involved repeated transatlantic voyages.
Bouzy's still red boasts a fragrant bouquet and delicate palate—light like Bordeaux, yet strong as any fine Burgundy. However, this wine is sensitive to travel; even a journey to Paris might compromise its quality. To achieve its full character, it must rest a few years in wood and spend at least six years aging in bottle.
Wine Production at Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin
The mountain vineyards extend along Reims’ eastern slopes, from Rilly and Ludes (third-tier wines) to Mailly, Verzenay, and Verzy (second tier). While eastern-facing vines on limestone slopes produce little of note, the southern slopes yield Bouzy’s renowned premier cru, closely followed by the esteemed wines of Ambonnay.
Approaching Bouzy from Avenay via the Epernay-Reims railway, the countryside reveals prosperous farms and village clusters nestled among forested hillsides and vineyards, animated by the noise of grain trade and the silent presence of crumbling roadside crosses. Due to the German occupation, hunting was halted for three seasons, leading to an explosion in partridge populations.
At Bouzy, Veuve Clicquot’s pressing center was nearing the end of harvest, producing about a thousand pièces filled with powerfully scented juice. The old-style press exuded pale purple aromas as it processed grapes from the estate’s 40 to 50 acres of prime vines—roughly half of Bouzy’s total vineyard.
Despite owning considerable acreage, the 1872 yield only sufficed for 130 barrels. To produce the necessary 44,000 liters, grapes were purchased locally, including some at ten francs per caque (sixty kilos). Grapes were measured and paid accordingly at the pressoir by chalk marks on barrels.
Pressing was done gently in six cycles to preserve the grape's finest qualities. The first three pressings became Champagne; the fourth replaced fermentation loss (about 7%); the fifth and sixth yielded lower-quality wines. Final presses, the rebêche, were offered to the workers.
The Bouzy and Ambonnay Vineyards
Bouzy rouge was produced only in outstanding vintages. After harvest, grapes rested for eight days, underwent long fermentation, and were aged in cask for two years. In bottle, the wine left sediment as all Champagne wines do and was said to age like Burgundy.
Route retracing an 1872 journey through Champagne’s most iconic vineyard slopes—linking Bouzy, Ambonnay, and Mailly—amid forests, farmlands, and winemaking heritage.
From Bouzy, a short drive led to Ambonnay, where only 200–300 acres of vines remained, and the harvest had concluded. At a local farm, M. Oury—a former peasant turned vineyard proprietor—received the visitors in his freshly painted sitting room. He confirmed that Ambonnay’s yield also reached only half the average yet fetched equal prices to Bouzy. With 45 caques per hectare, wines sold for about 800 francs per pièce, mainly to Clicquot and Pommery agents.
Here, pressing was limited to four rounds. The second press balanced fermentation losses; the third and fourth produced lesser wines at about 80 francs per barrel. Workers came from places like Ste. Menehould and Lorraine, earning 1.5 francs daily with food or 2.5 francs without. Children earned 30 centimes per day.
Despite consistent demand, the fragmentation of land into tiny plots prevented large Champagne houses from purchasing vineyards outright. They preferred to buy grapes rather than manage scattered holdings.
Life, Harvest, and Commerce in 1872
Crossing back through Bouzy toward the mountain’s northern slopes, hares were as plentiful in the woods as partridges in the plains. The hilly forested landscape, dotted with windmills and white villages, gave way to vast Champagne plains. There, the Vesle River shimmered in the sun, and Reims Cathedral’s dark towers rose through the clear sky.
Descending the hill revealed Mailly, surrounded by a rolling sea of vines. Winter frost had slashed the harvest to one-third of its usual volume. At a local pressoir, between 350 and 400 pièces of wine were produced—about thirty per day. Five men worked a cider-like press for twenty hours, applying longitudinal pressure.
Must was transferred to massive vats of 450 gallons, left to settle for 2–3 days, then racked into barrels. Of the 30 pièces, 20 from the first pressing were highest quality and fetched 800 francs per barrel; 4 from the second pressing replaced fermentation loss; and 6 from later pressings, worth 300 francs each, were blended with common wine to make an inferior Champagne retailing at 5 francs per bottle.
Mailly and the Northern Slopes
While the vineyards of Bouzy and Ambonnay are celebrated for premier cru still wines, the villages on the northern face of the Montagne de Reims—including Mailly—were equally vital in shaping Champagne’s wine economy in the 19th century. Even in years of hardship, presses continued to run, and wines found their market—testament to the enduring resilience of Champagne viticulture and commerce.
This detailed journey through Bouzy, Ambonnay, and Mailly in 1872 provides a rich snapshot of Champagne’s winemaking heritage—one grounded in precise viticultural practices, natural challenges, and strategic commerce.
It reveals a landscape shaped by tradition, resilience, and the enduring allure of still red wines from a region globally celebrated for its sparkling.
Source
The Pall Mall budget, London, 1872-1873, v. 9, n. 216
TAG: BOUZY WINE, CHAMPAGNE HISTORY, VEUVE CLICQUOT, MONTAGNE DE REIMS, AMBONNAY VINEYARDS, HISTORIC WINEMAKING, FRENCH WINE TRADITIONS, RILLY LA MONTAGNE
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