Its an exciting launch week for Champagne Bollinger, releasing both the La Grande Année and La Grande Année Rose 2014 vintage. Both Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media, and William Kelley of The Wine Advocate wrote glowing reviews.
William Kelley offers some insight into the harvest decisions going into this years cuvee, and noted that the Champagne house used an unusually high percentage of Chardonnay than in years past. He describes these two wines as “Very elegant, precise, giving Champagnes, with all the mid-palate intensity one expects from Bollinger but defined more by purity than by power.” Read the full story HERE
Antonio Galloni gives the 2014 La Grande Annee 98 points, noting “The 2014 La Grande Année is stunning. In fact, it is one of the best recent editions I can remember tasting.”
“The 2014 is a blend taken from 19 villages, 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay instead of the more typical 70/30 mix. For the second time in two decades (the first was 2007), Verzenay takes the lead in the Pinots over Aÿ, more or less an inverse from the norm. Verzenay, a north-facing village in the Montagne de Reims that saw less rain than Aÿ and most of the Vallée de la Marne, yields Pinots of energy more than volume. That, married with Chardonnays mostly from the Côtes des Blancs (predominantly Chouilly, Vertus, Oiry and Cramant), results in a truly magical Grande Année that will delight Champagne fans for several decades. I can’t recommend the 2014 highly enough. It’s a total knock-out.” – AG
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Champagne Bollinger
Champagne Bollinger La Grande Année 2014
Champagne
La Grande Année is crafted only in exceptional vintages, made from the finest Grand and Premier Cru grapes. Vinified exclusively in small, old oak barrels using a rare artisanal tradition preserved by Bollinger’s master cooper, this method elevates each vintage’s character with remarkable finesse. After an extended period of lees ageing under natural cork, every bottle is still riddled and disgorged entirely by hand. A jewel of the Maison, La Grande Année is a pure expression of Bollinger’s excellence and a testament to the enduring Art of Craftsmanship.
Champagne Bollinger
Champagne Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2014
Champagne
La Grande Année Rosé is a singular expression of La Grande Année, distinguished by the addition of red wine from the iconic La Côte aux Enfants vineyard. This legendary Aÿ parcel is owned entirely by Champagne Bollinger and vinified into red wine only in years when the grapes reach optimum ripeness. Fermented in small old oak barrels and aged for an extended period on the lees, every bottle is still riddled and disgorged by hand. The result is a cuvée of exceptional purity, reflecting the full expertise and savoir-faire of the Maison.
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Champagne Bollinger
Champagne, France
Bollinger is one of the rare Grande Marques that’s still family owned. Known for its rich, elegant and polished style of Champagne, their outstanding wines are the result of rigorous attention to detail and incredibly labor-intensive practices that few houses are willing to undertake. Underscoring its excellence, Bollinger has remained British secret agent James Bond's Champagne of choice since 1973.
