Tag: Mathieu Kauffmann

Bollinger used the London International Wine Fair last week to unveil a unique 75cl bottle that mimics the shape of a magnum.

The new packaging was inspired by a 1846 bottle of Bollinger found in the company’s cellars.

Speaking at the launch, Bollinger CEO Jérôme Philippon advised that the switch was motivated by a desire “to develop a unique and authentic bottle for Bollinger”. “My objective is to further the differentiation of Bollinger: our taste is different and our bottle shape should be different, and unique to us,” Jérôme added.

He also explained that the new shape had a “side benefit”.

This is connected to the bottle’s slightly broader base and narrower neck, which ensures there is a reduced oxygen contact with the Champagne compared to a standard bottle.

This change should mean that oxidation of the Champagne in the bottle will take place at a slightly slower rate, which, Jérôme believes, will be somewhere between the rate for a standard bottle and a magnum.

According to Mathieu Kauffmann, Bollinger’s chef de cave, the bottle will ultimately deliver a better wine, and “In addition to the aesthetic reasons, using the shape of this new bottle, which is more like a magnum with a narrower neck and a wider base, should very slightly slow down the oxygen exchange and therefore give a better quality wine,” he said.

The new bottle’s appearance makes it look like a scaled down magnum, and Jérôme pointed out that the ratio of the new bottle’s diameter at the neck to the diameter at the base is closer to a magnum than it is to a standard bottle.