Champagne Bollinger
B16
Champagne
B16 stands for ‘Bollinger 2016’ as showcased by the unique logotype that both resembles the letter ‘B’ and the number ‘16’. Born from an atypical year of contrasting weather conditions, 2016 – a daring creation composed of more than 70% Pinot Noir – explores the unique aroma profiles to be found in the terroirs of the Montagne de Reims. B16 is a remarkable vintage Champagne exclusively made from Grands and Premiers Crus, crafted with unparalleled expertise. This exceptional creation exemplifies Bollinger’s commitment to producing extraordinary wines that reflect both tradition and innovation.
VINEYARD
Exclusively made from Grands and Premiers Crus, focusing on the latest-ripening areas of the Montagne de Reims.
WINEMAKING
Vinified in barrel and aged under natural cork. B16 was cellared for 7 years on the lees, then riddled and disgorged by hand.
VINTAGE
A cold, frost-punctuated spring gave way to a hot, dry summer that concentrated aromas and maturity beautifully. At harvest, the berries showed remarkable balance between freshness and richness, a testament to both the resilience of these extraordinary vines and the expertise of Bollinger's teams.
TASTING NOTE
Ethereal and suffused with finesse. It slowly reveals subtle aromas of white peach and bergamot, opening into notes of ripe fruit and sweet almond.
FOOD PAIRING
Langoustine tartare with confit celery, lime and sesame oil, Thai basil Dill steamed sea bass, nori hollandaise, lemongrass, white curry
Color
White
Blend %
73% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay
Appellation
Champagne
Farming
Sustainable, Certified B-Corp
Alcohol
12.5%
Suggested Retail Price
$179.99
Reviews
Wine Spectator - February 4, 2026 "A rich range of black cherry coulis, grilled macadamia nut, poached peach, and crystallized honey and ginger is seamlessly knit with racy acidity and a chalky underpinning in this statuesque Champagne. On first sip, the graceful integration belies the depth and focus, but as this expands on the long, creamy finish, adding hints of lime blossoms, tangerine peel, graphite and brioche, all of its many attributes are on full display. Disgorged November 2024. Drink now through 2036."
Wine Enthusiast - March 31, 2026
Wine Advocate - March 19, 2026 "From a relatively cool, mildew-pressured year that did not deliver sufficient fruit for Aÿ to serve as the principal component—and thus precluded the making of La Grande Année—Bollinger instead opted to release the 2016 B16. Disgorged in November 2024 with a dosage of four grams per liter, the wine unwinds in the glass with aromas of yellow apple, mirabelle plum, honeysuckle and bergamot mingled with freshly baked bread and a faint hint of passion fruit. Full-bodied and elegantly muscular, the palate offers a rich, sweet core of fruit, racy acids and an animating pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long, enveloping finish. Vinified entirely in barrels, it comprises 27% Chardonnay and 73% Pinot Noir—principally from Bouzy, Tauxières, Verzy and Verzenay—and will reward additional aging on cork."
Vinous - November 26, 2025 "The 2016 B16 is a small bottling from Bollinger that takes the place of the Grand Année, as conditions did not allow Bollinger to bottle their flagship cuvée in the challenging 2016 growing season. Brisk floral top notes give this mid-weight, expressive Champagne a good deal of immediacy. The blend is 73% Pinot Noir and 27% Chardonnay, with the Chardonnay very much driving the wine's svelte, nervy personality. The ethereal, nuanced style is a bit of a departure for Bollinger, but it works well."
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Rosé
Champagne
Bollinger Rosé is a Champagne that quietly breaks the mold. First released in 2008 and made in limited quantities, it begins as Special Cuvée before a small addition of still Pinot Noir brings vibrant red fruit, a touch of tannin and striking depth. Pinot Noir is the heart of Bollinger, making up at least 60% of all wines and shaping the Rosé’s bold yet elegant character. With one-third fermented in oak, aged for up to eight years and blended with reserve wines from magnums, this Rosé offers freshness, complexity and a silk-like texture.
La Côte aux Enfants Champagne
Champagne, France
Established by Jacques Bollinger between 1926 and 1934, La Côte aux Enfants is a steep hillside vineyard located on the outskirts of Aÿ. This unique parcel has been a source of endless fascination, producing some of the most highly prized Pinot Noir in the region. Aware of its potential, it became Champagne Bollinger’s ambition to produce a great vintage Champagne exclusively from this vineyard, with 100% Pinot Noir. The fruit comes from the north-west side of the hill, revealing a particularly refined expression of La Côte aux Enfants vineyard.
PN
Champagne, France
PN, made entirely from Pinot Noir to underscore the very essence and DNA of the House style, is the first new cuvée added to Bollinger’s permanent range since rosé in 2008. Each release of PN, developed as a series to bring Bollinger’s unique vision of Pinot Noir to light, will showcase a different cru from the base year that highlights its distinctive terroir and taste.
James Bond Limited Edition
Champagne, France
This limited edition cuvée celebrates 2 important milestones. Firstly, it celebrates the historic partnership between Bollinger and Bond. Bollinger has been the exclusive Champagne partner of Bond since 1979, so 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of their relationship. Secondly, it celebrates the release of the upcoming movie, No Time to Die, which will be the 25th movie in the series (and Bollinger’s 15th Bond movie since the start of the partnership).
Vieilles Vignes Françaises
Champagne, France
Vieilles Vignes Françaises is one of Champagne’s most mythical cuvees, produced from miraculously preserved and ungrafted 100% Pinot Noir vines. Phylloxera destroyed the vines of Champagne in the early 20th century, but amazingly enough two of Bollinger’s classified Grands crus plots, Chaudes Terres and Clos St. Jacques, survived and are still grown the traditional way. Madame Lily Bollinger first had this wine produced in 1969 as an anniversary cuvee to commemorate her 70th birthday. Following the wine’s launch in 1974, Vieilles Vignes Françaises promptly became a collectible and a symbol of a bygone era. Over the decades, its uniqueness and scarcity have made it one of the most sought-after and expensive Champagnes.
La Côte aux Enfants
Champagne, France
A stunning and extremely rare, still red wine produced only for the greatest vintages. This wine harmoniously combines 100% Pinot Noir Grand Cru fruit from an exceptional vineyard with traditional Burgundian style winemaking. Historically, Pinot Noirs from Aÿ were the most popular wines of the French court, specifically a favorite of King Henri IV, and La Côte aux Enfants comes from a steep plot just outside of the village. This wine is the purest expression of Pinot Noir, offering a fine, delicate texture in the mouth, and a tautness giving it a beautifully long finish.
La Grande Année Rosé
Champagne, France
Lily Bollinger agreed to a Bollinger rosé under one condition, it had to be extraordinary, and that is how La Grande Année Rosé was born. A blend like no other, the wine is as an extension to the House's prestige cuvée, La Grande Année, as is the subtle marriage between this great vintage Champagne and the addition of red wine from a unique plot, the legendary Côte aux Enfants.
R.D.
Champagne, France
A small revolution in the world of Champagne. In 1967, Bollinger releases R.D. 1952. There is no comparable Champagne on the market at the time. This bold and brilliant Champagne takes the pillars of what makes Champagne Bollinger so unique, and pushes them to their ultimate level. It is, very simply, a masterpiece.
Special Cuvée
Champagne, France
From vineyard to bottling, Special Cuvée sees such an extraordinary level of care and attention, it is difficult to place within the non-vintage or, really, any Champagne category. It is a Champagne that stands apart. Within one bottle, all the complexity of flavor, texture and pleasure that Champagne can offer. Special Cuvée is truly a journey of devotion from Bollinger.
