Champagne Boizel to release the ‘jewel’ in its crown on La Place

March will bring another prestigious Champagne cuvée to La Place de Bordeaux for the first time with the release of Boizel’s iconic ‘Joyau’ (literal translation is ‘jewel’) from the fantastic 2008 vintage.

In the process Boizel will forge a new partnership with five of Bordeaux’s leading négociants (Crus et Domaines, Diva, Joanne Rare Wines, Sobovi and Veyret Latour). The release is coordinated by one of its leading hors Bordeaux specialists, Bureau des Grand Vins. The aim is to expand the international distribution of the wine, with a particular focus on the Asian and European markets.

As Boizel’s co-President, Florent Roques-Boizel, explains, “We’re delighted that the expertise of these major Bordeaux wine merchants can provide Joyau with increased yet also more focused international distribution, perfectly in keeping with our resolve to strengthen the image of this exceptional wine”. Boizel’s presence on la place is designed to complement rather than replace its already well-established distribution channels.

Hinting perhaps at more to come, Roques-Boizel continues, “This collaboration will enable Joyau to reach more people, in particular wine connoisseurs worldwide. It is in line with our ambition for developing the House. The prestigious Joyau 2008 cuvée, the embodiment of a grand vin, whose name “Joyau” succeeds the historic “Joyau de France”, is the perfect champagne to commence this collaboration with la Place de Bordeaux.”

Six generations of the Boizel family have succeeded each other at the helm of the company since 1834. Since taking over the reins in 2019, brothers Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel have been implementing a new development strategy for Boizel, with an ever more precise vision of the wines themselves and of the wider Boizel experience.

The House’s vineyard range over seven hectares in the heart of the best Champagne crus, including the Côte des Blancs and Avize, where the family originally hails from.

Florent and Lionel Roques-Boizel work closely with their winegrower partners and manage the vineyard with the greatest respect for nature and the environment. Thanks to a hand-crafted approach and their work to reveal the character of each cru and each plot, they have won a reputation for wines that are precise, with a strong personality, and that eloquently express the identity of each terroir. Each wine sees a long period of ageing in the House’s cool cellars. Boizel welcomes epicureans from all over the world to its magnificent renovated premises on the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Created in the legendary 1961 vintage, the Joyau cuvée exemplifies the skill of Boizel’s vineyard management and vinification, revealing the Champagne terroir through a blend of grapes sourced from Boizel’s finest premier and grand cru parcels. Cellar-aged for over 10 years before release, it is a very eloquent expression of Boizel’s philosophy and the magic worked by time. Joyau 2008, the fifteenth vintage in the collection, is especially notable for its longevity and ageing potential. Partly vinified in barrels, it provides an classic balance between concentration, power, freshness and acidity. Joyau 2008 is released with new packaging, and a resolutely contemporary visual identity.

I was lucky enough to taste the wine at the recent hors Bordeaux press tasting of Joanne Rare Wines.

Tasting note:

• Joyau Boizel 2008 (60% Pinot Noir; 40% Chardonnay; 12% alcohol; a dosage of 3g/l; disgorged just over years ago). A fascinating debutant to la place joining quite an august bunch of the Champagne glitterati. This is very vibrant and energetic on the open and expressive nose. There is black truffle, toasted brioche, perhaps a little frangipane and almond skin. There is also a striking, but entirely natural, sense of sweetness here which is not to do with the (minimal) dosage. Confit apples, apricot skin, a little cherry and wild strawberry. On the palate on is struck immediately by the brilliant freshness – an immediate contrast to the nose demanding one’s attention. There’s an impressive sense of structure to this, with the freshness and the crumbly tannins conspiring together to strap the fruit quite closely to the well-defined and mineral-charged citrus vein that forms its spine. Lots of tension and grip and a long is somewhat slender finish. This is very youthful, above all on the palate, though it is a champagne I feel one could have already started to enjoy a couple of years ago. 94.