High standards, generosity, loyalty and a certain taste for freedom. These values have been central to the Boizel ethos since the creation of the House. High standards, in the vineyards and throughout every stage of the winemaking process. Generosity, in the way Champagne Boizel seeks to share this authentic, living product with others and opens its doors to visitors so that they can experience the Champagne art-de-vivre. Loyalty, to its region, its family history and also to its partners, customers and wine lovers from around the world. Finally the freedom to choose your own path to create sincere and authentic wines.
This philosophy has been passed down from generation to generation and shared by the men and women who have made Champagne Boizel what it is today. It is surely not by chance that the Champagne House has always been run by two, rather than one, pair of hands. That women have always played an equal role to that of the men. And that each generation has succeeded in creating very fine wines, as close as possible to the terroir, breaking with convention and never hesitating to innovate in order to craft wines of uncompromising quality. Passion, dedication, a sense of duty, a desire to excel and independent thinking have formed an unshakeable bond throughout the history of Champagne Boizel and they continue to do so today.
Since its creation in 1834, Champagne Boizel has sought to reveal the very best of the Champagne region in precise and generous wines which reflect the incredible diversity of Champagne’s terroir. Yet what the Boizel family offers is so much more than just its Champagnes. It offers a strong set of values that are reflected in the wines it creates.
1834
Création of the House
Auguste Boizel and Julie Martin, a young married couple, join forces to create their own Champagne House. Originally pastry chefs, born and bred in the Côte des Blancs, they shared the same strong entrepreneurial spirit. Julie’s ancestors were winegrowers in Ay and Mareuil-sur-Ay and her dowry included a survey contract in Mareuil-sur-Ay. They chose Epernay as the home for their new venture and both lent their names to the House: ‘Boizel-Martin’.
1851
The first wines were shipped to London and England
From the first years, the House chose to export its wines. The British market is buoyant, and London and England are becoming a prime destination for Boizel Champagnes. So much so that the Maison will be represented locally for over a hundred years by the same importer, the Hedges-Butler family.
1872
Launch of the first Brut champagnes
Auguste and Julie’s son, Edouard Boizel, took over the House. Loyal to his region and the values of his parents, he always involved his wife Adèle, daughter of a renowned family of wine traders from Ay, in his business decisions. They chose to produce wines with less dosage in an era when Champagnes were typically very sweet. The first Brut Champagnes are born.
1914-1918
Champagne is hard hit by the war
Champagne Boizel is not spared during the Great War, but it doesn’t stop it from caring for the wounded and offering shelter during the 1917 bombings. After the war, Jules Boizel take over from his father and relaunches the House with the help of his wife Louise. He build up a network of prestigious customers and the likes of Le Fouquet’s, Maxim’s and the Royal Monceau became his trusted partners. Excited by the emergence of new markets, Jules began shipping his wines to Australia in 1923.
1929
Creation of the first Blanc de Blancs
Experimenting with new techniques whilst never compromising quality was at the heart of Jules and Louise Boizel’s approach. They made their mark through their innovative winemaking techniques which resulted in the creation of the very first Blanc de Blancs of which there are still a few bottles in the Trésor cellar today.
1945
René Boizel took over at the helm
Jules and Louise’s son René, a real sportsman, brought energy and determination with him when he took over at the Champagne House after the Second World War. He rebuilt the stocks, found new customers and conquered new markets. He and his wife Erica overcame the numerous challenges of the post-war era and successfully developed exports to the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
1961
Creation of Joyau de France
René Boizel is to thank for the very first edition of Boizel’s prestige cuvée. He chose the outstanding 1961 vintage for the launch of Joyau de France.
1972
Evelyne and Christophe Roques-Boizel
René and Erica’s daughter Evelyne Roques-Boizel and her husband Christophe bravely picked up the reins after the sudden death of René, followed by that of his son Eric. They received valuable assistance and advice from Erica as well as training from cellar master Marcel Carré who had worked at Boizel since 1922.
1990
Creation of the first Cuvée ‘Sous Bois’
Evelyne and Christophe shared the same desire to create and innovate as their predecessors and began to experiment with vinification in oak for a proportion of the wines. The first ‘Cuvée Sous Bois’ was vinified in old oak barrels using traditional methods from the early 20th century to create an authentic taste of the Champagnes of the past.
2008
Creation of the first ‘Zero Dosage’ cuvée
130 years after the creation of the first Brut Champagne by Auguste Boizel, the ‘Ultime Zéro Dosage’ saw the light of day. This zero dosage Champagne undergoes extended ageing on lees and no sugar is added during the process. This style fitted perfectly with evolving consumer tastes and the quest for purity.
2010
The sixth generation joined the Champagne House
Evelyne and Christophe Roques-Boizel’s sons, Florent and Lionel, join the family adventure. Their former careers in France and abroad enable them to complement the expertise of their parents, on both the commercial and production side, and they greatly contribute to the spreading of the Boizel reputation.
2018
Champagne Boizel opened its doors
After two years renovation work, Champagne Boizel unveils its new technical facilities which are located within the fully-restored premises on the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. A new cellar has been designed exclusively for barrels, tuns and small vats to enable the use of more precise vinification techniques. Champagne Boizel also welcomes wine lovers from around the world in the Atelier 1834, its new reception space for visits and tastings.
Today
Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel
Today, Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel lead the House, bringing a new dynamic to Boizel’s development as well as to the crafting of its wines. True to the values of quality and generosity which have been upheld by the family for six generations, they are acutely aware of their duty and the power of the legacy they share. They are equally aware of how fortunate they are to be at the helm of one of the most highly regarded family Champagne House in the world. They apply their ethos of independent thinking to everything they do in order to craft sincere and authentic wines.
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