Pierre Paillard 'Les Parcelles' XXII Bouzy Grand Cru Extra Brut NV
Pierre Paillard 'Les Parcelles' XXII Bouzy Grand Cru Extra Brut NV
$64.99 on 6+ (code: 6saves3)
XXII 2022 Base Wine
91 pts Wine Advocate
Drinking Window 2026 - 2033
Disgorged in December 2025 with a dosage of three grams per liter, Paillard's NV Bouzy Grand Cru Les Parcelles XXII is based on the 2022 vintage and, as ever, is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay sourced from the sun-kissed, south-facing slopes of Bouzy. The wine opens with a flamboyant bouquet, bursting from the glass with aromas of red cherry, orange oil and apricot, mingled with notes of buttery pastry and lychee. Medium- to full-bodied, enveloping and rich yet vibrant, it is built around a fleshy core of fruit and succulent acids, concluding with an expansive finish.
This important grower-bottler is based in the calm village of Bouzy, nestled within the Montagne de Reims. The family’s viticultural heritage spans eight generations, yet it was only in 1946 that Pierre Paillard took the step of vinifying his own wines, ceasing the longstanding practice of selling the fruit to the local cooperative. The estate’s renaissance began in 2008 with the arrival of Pierre’s grandson, Antoine Paillard, who joined his father, Benoît, in the winery. Antoine assumed full responsibility for vinification in 2016, and in 2018, his brother Quentin entered the fold, ushering in a new chapter of refinement.
The domaine’s 30 plots, extending across 11 hectares, are planted predominantly with Pinot Noir (80%), complemented by 20% Chardonnay, primarily massal selections. The vineyards are plowed, and since 2008, the estate has adhered to an essentially chemical-free farming regimen, with the exception of treatments against mildew.
In the cellar, fermentation is initiated by native yeasts, though selected yeasts are employed for the prise de mousse. Sulfites are added during pressing and, when necessary, after malolactic fermentation. Élevage lasts nine months in 350-liter barrels sourced primarily from Cavin, Chassin, François Frères and Atelier Centre France, with approximately one-fifth of the stock renewed each year. Dosage is restrained, typically around three grams per liter.
Bouzy’s predominantly south-facing slopes yield wines of commanding presence—expansive and full-bodied yet harmoniously counterbalanced by a chalky extract.
A significant evolution for the estate came in 2018, when the brothers expanded their scope beyond Bouzy, vinifying wines from other villages. In addition to Bouzy, their portfolio now includes cuvées from Verzenay, Ambonnay, Ludes, Taissy and Verzy. Although they do not farm vineyards outside their ownership, they maintain full control over harvest timing, and their team picks the grapes. The wines from Verzenay and Verzy, in particular, offer a more vibrant, brighter profile due to their predominantly north-facing slopes—an increasingly compelling attribute in the context of warming climate.
The style here is charming and succulent yet precise—melding power with ample structuring extract that imparts a sense of freshness. That said, certain cuvées reveal a more ample, broad-shouldered character than others.
Published: Jul 30, 2026
“The wines are quintessentially representative of Bouzy terroir, combining rich ripeness with chalky finesse, and are some of the best champagnes being made in the village today.“
- Peter Liem, Champagne Expert, Author and Educator
TERROIR
Bouzy is one of the 17 villages in the Champagne region that has been classified as Grand Cru, the highest classification that can be awarded. Its situation on the south‐facing side of the Montagne de Reims lie on a bedrock of hard chalk, but the depth of topsoils vary. Some parcels have a mere 20 inches of topsoil, yet there is a large vein of sedimentary soil up to 10 feet deep that runs through the center of the village. These areas of deeper soil are ideal for the difficult to ripen Pinot Noir grape.
VITICULTURE
The Paillard estate is divided into 28 parcels over 11 hectares, planted entirely in the Grand Cru of Bouzy. The average age of the estate’s vineyards is about 29 years, with the oldest parcels dating from 1956. Starting in 2012, the brothers have focused on a massive replanting of selection massale Pinot Noir from their oldest parcel, Les Maillerettes. Today 80% of their vineyards are planted to Pinot Noir, which for them is synonymous with the village of Bouzy with it’s south facing slopes that produces rich and aromatic pinot noir. They have farmed organically since 2012 but only became certified in 2020 - believing you have to go further. All parcels have been planted with cover crops for the last ten to fifteen years and synthetic treatments, such as those used against mildew, are kept to an absolute minimum.
VINIFICATION
For the vinification, each plot is harvested and now, vinified separately in oak. Fermentation is carried out at lower temperatures to retain the aromatics and the wines are kept in barrel on their fine lees until the early summer. Then starts a long process of tasting and blending. This is a unique moment shared only by the winemakers of the House (Benoît, Antoine and Quentin). Each plot is tasted, marked and commented upon until each person has a perfect feel for the profile of the year. Tests and blind tastings continue until the final choice: The creation of each cuvée. They bottle in June/July to maximize the influence of the oak and because they rely on native yeast fermentation and natural malolactic fermentation that takes time so they don’t want to rush the fermentation. After bottled for the second fermentation and kept in their 19th century cellars for a minimum of 3 years and as much as 10 years before being disgorged. Parcelles and Terre de Rosé are aged under crown cap and all the single vineyard wines (aged for a minimum of 5 years sur latte) are under cork.
