Champagne Palmer & Co unveiled their new state-of-the-art winery last month. Located just outside Reims, near Champagne-Ardenne train station, the winery is close to their Grand and Premier Cru vineyards in the Montagne de Reims.
The new sustainably designed facility has a storage capacity of 21,352 hl and will house Palmer’s celebrated reserve wines, which form the cornerstone of the Palmer & Co style.
The modern winery symbolises Palmer’s respect for sustainable development, as well as the house’s growth and impeccably high standards, being just the second in Champagne – alongside Moët & Chandon’s facility in the Côte des Bar – to be certified HQE (High Environmental Quality).
Key features of the new building include:
- Lighting: With its architecturally bioclimatic design, the winery maximises natural light and any lights necessary within the building are all LED’s, which minimise energy consumption.
- Gravity: The winery uses the natural slope of the land to facilitate flow by gravity, limiting the need to manually pump the wines, thereby preserving the delicate and subtle aromas of the musts.
- Water: Using a natural filtering eco-system, standing wastewater is recycled through phytho-purification: a method which involves channelling water through a basin containing plant roots, which removes contaminants and purifies the water.
- Biodiversity: Wildflower meadows have been sowed on the ground surrounding the winery to aid biodiversity. ‘Insect hotels’ have also been installed to provide shelter for insects.
CEO and Winemaker Rémi Vervier commented: “This new site perfectly reflects Palmer & Co’s commitment to following the path of innovation and sustainable development. Every detail has been studied in depth to ensure that the building meets the highest quality and environmental standards.”
Visitors can enjoy the new space from a bespoke tasting room that overlooks the winery.