Champagne Bollinger
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.
Vineyard
La Côte aux Enfants (the Children’s Hillside) was named after the steep slope of the plot from which it is made; legend has it that in bygone times only children were able to climb it. It is defined both by a high elevation but also by thin soils with about 12 inches of top soil above pure chalk, making the wine produced bright and chiseled. As part of the Ay village, it carries the mention “Ay Grand Cru” on the label. It is the third Blanc de Noirs produced by the house, alongside PN and Vieilles Vignes Françaises.
Winemaking
100% Pinot Noir Grand Cru, from the parcel of La Côte aux Enfants. Fermented entirely in aged oak barrels. Sealed with a natural cork and cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation. Moderate dosage, 8 grams per liter.
Vintage
The year had a long growing season and heavy rainfall. Winter was very mild at first, but turned particularly cold in February. There was a hot period at the end of March, which caused an early budburst around the 5th of April. Unfortunately, the rest of April was struck by heavy frosts, and rain continued through to the end of July. The air was humid and cool. It wasn’t until August that the weather started to brighten. September was mild and sunny, conditions which allowed the grapes to become fully ripe.
The Bollinger vineyards were harvested between the 13th of September and the 2nd of October. Thanks to the patience and expertise of the House’s teams, the grapes were consistent and ripe, in perfect balance. The quality of the grapes was extraordinary, and they were perfectly ripe, with an average acidity of just under 8 g/L. La Côte aux Enfants produced grapes with a natural alcohol content of 12.5%, and a wine with incredible potential.
Tasting Notes
To the nose, La Côte aux Enfants Champagne 2012 emanates aromas of hazelnuts along with roasted, grilled and toasted notes and those of dried flowers, followed by aromas of honey and spices such as cinnamon. On the palate, this wine is characterized by a contrasting taste, which is firm and rich. Flavors such as soft fruit and acacia honey blend with spices. The tasting concludes with excellent bitter notes.
Color
White
Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Champagne, France
Farming
Since 2009, all vines grown on this vineyard plot are organically farmed.
Alcohol
12.5%
Suggested Retail Price
$1500
Reviews
"Bread dough, ripe red fruits"
Jeb Dunnuck (96+) - June 20, 2023
"One hundred percent Pinot Noir, it is rich with incense, bread dough, fully ripe red fruits, and kirsch. The palate is broad and mouth-filling with consistency from the aromatics and has a long, floral finish with blackcurrant, lavender, toast, and a driving mineral texture. Though it is ripe and full, it maintains freshness and energy without feeling bruised and has refreshing salinity. It leaves a wonderful first impression." - A.F. 11/22
"Tencile, chiseled wines"
Wine Advocate (96+) - June 20, 2023
"Readers will know of Bolligner's Côte Aux Enfants for the still red wine produced on its south-facing slope. They're less likely to be aware that this Aÿ monopole—acquired between 1926 and 1934 by Jacques Bollinger and defined by its high elevation, unusually shallow soils and high percentages of active calcium—also has a northwest-facing side, a side that has historically been vinified as a Blanc de Noirs and included in Grande Année or Spécial Cuvée, depending on the vintage. Given its soils and exposition, it's no surprise that this site would produce tensile, chiseled wines, and that's the case even in the generally rather rich, fleshy 2012 vintage. This new addition to Bollinger's range sits somewhere between their rather demonstrative Brut PN series and their strikingly vinous, dramatic Vieilles Vignes Française. With this first release, it immediately exhibits a distinctive personality that clearly merits being bottled and released as a lieu-dit cuvée." - W.K. 10/22
"Tencile, chiseled wines"
Wine Advocate (96+) - September 22, 2023
"Readers will know of Bolligner's Côte Aux Enfants for the still red wine produced on its south-facing slope. They're less likely to be aware that this Aÿ monopole—acquired between 1926 and 1934 by Jacques Bollinger and defined by its high elevation, unusually shallow soils and high percentages of active calcium—also has a northwest-facing side, a side that has historically been vinified as a Blanc de Noirs and included in Grande Année or Spécial Cuvée, depending on the vintage. Given its soils and exposition, it's no surprise that this site would produce tensile, chiseled wines, and that's the case even in the generally rather rich, fleshy 2012 vintage. This new addition to Bollinger's range sits somewhere between their rather demonstrative Brut PN series and their strikingly vinous, dramatic Vieilles Vignes Française. With this first release, it immediately exhibits a distinctive personality that clearly merits being bottled and released as a lieu-dit cuvée." - W.K. 10/22
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
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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.
R.D.
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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.
Vieilles Vignes Françaises
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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
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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.
