Champagne Caillez Lemaire – Interview With Virginie Vanpoperinghe

The love of Champagne is infinite, a language that everyone can understand, a sparkle that can shine in anyone’s glass, it can connect people, brings them together and places a smile on faces around the world.

In this exclusive feature on Glass of Bubbly, we speak with Virginie Vanpoperinghe, the skilled Winemaker at Champagne Caillez Lemaire, let’s discover a little about her life, her journey into the industry and one of her favoiurote Champagne memories.

It’s Great To Speak With You, Virginie, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself & How Your Journey Into The Champagne Industry Began?

“I was born into it! My parents were winegrowers and it took up all their time. If I wanted to be with them, I had to be in the vineyard or in the cellar! But at this time, I didn’t want to do this job, which I found too difficult. And when I started to enjoy tasting (19-20 years old) it became obvious that this would be my job!”

Do You Remember Your First Experience With Champagne? When It Was And What Kind Of Label It Was?

“I don’t exactly remember my 1st experience with Champagne. It started with our Champagne, I liked the different cuvées! At first, I preferred the fruitier Champagnes, and my taste evolved towards windier Champagnes. The first Champagne I fell in love with other than my family’s was Charles Ellner, and I think it was the 1996 vintage, but I’m not sure. It was in the early 2000’s”

How Rewarding And Challenging Is Managing A Champagne House?

“The 1st difficulty is to look after the vines, the wine (Champagne) and the business all at the same time. But it’s also this diversity of tasks that makes it so exciting.

Even in a small business like ours, you have to work as part of a team. I’ve worked with my parents, now with my husband, and I hope to be working with my daughter soon! In addition to the family, we have 3 full-time employees, because our way of working (organic, vinification in barrels, etc.) requires a lot of manpower.

The 2nd difficulty is working with nature. In recent years, this has become even more complicated. Despite this, we’ve decided to work organically, because we no longer want to use synthetic chemicals, which pollute the water table so much. It’s a real challenge that motivates the whole team.”

When It Comes To Pairing Champagne With Food, Do You Have Any Favourite Combinations That You Would Personally Recommend?

“Champagne brut nature and oysters, the simplest and most delicious pairing!”

What Future Plans Can Enthusiasts Of Champagne Caillez Lemaire Look Forward To In The Coming Years?

“We have been certified “organic farming” since last year, after 3 years of certification, and it’s a big challenge to take on! So, for the moment, no other projects, apart from that of making the best possible Champagne… the key is sometimes in the details (better control of temperatures at picking for example…)

No major projects (for the moment) but the commitment to great vigilance at each stage…”

Can You Share With Us One Of The Most Memorable Experiences You’ve Enjoyed With A Glass of Bubbly?

“If I have to keep one memory with a flute of Champagne, it would be the one where we were on a beach with friends, and it was really cool! But frankly, I have a lot of very good memories with a flute in my hand!!”

Thank you Virginie, for sharing your story and experiences with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Images belong to Virginie Vanpoperinghe. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.