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1829: an adventurous aristocrat and two wine specialists
The story began with Athanase de Villermont, the youngest son of a noble family with a bright destiny. A great soldier who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War, he inherited a vast family estate in the Aÿ region. He immediately foresaw the extraordinary potential of Champagne wines, but as an aristocrat he was forbidden from engaging in the trade.
He then met Joseph Bollinger, a well-traveled German who had left his native country to learn about the wine trade with champagne, and Paul Renaudin, a local man who was fascinated by the world of wine. The Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie company was founded on February 6, 1829. Joseph handled sales and Paul the winery. Athanase had founded a champagne house that would endure through the centuries.
