Bollinger La Grande Année 2015

Bollinger La Grande Année Champagne, France, 2015

Grapes: La Grande Année 2015 is a blend of 11 crus, predominantly 60% of Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and 40% of Chardonnay from Chouilly and Avize.

Fermentation takes place entirely in oak barrels and the wine is aged, sealed with a natural cork, for more than twice the time required by the appellation. Dosage is moderate, 8 grams per litre.

Producer Tasting Note:

Appearance: Yellow gold reflections, evidence of the wine’s maturity, but also of Bollinger’s vinification methods.

The nose has initial scents are full of small stone fruits, with notes of Pomme Gris, plum and Mirabelle plum, layered with a touch of honey. Aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry, and raspberry follow; a medley of red fruits dances with notes of almond. Exotic touches of mango follow, dissolving into tertiary scents of vanilla and a delicate woody aroma.

On the palate, the wine is plump, generous and enticing, reminiscent of Mirabelle plum jam. Texture and richness define the tasting experience. The finish blends notes of chocolate and citrus fruits, bringing a touch of acidity, lengthened further by hints of schist. A hugely generous wine!

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"The color is already deep golden with a fine stream of tiny bubbles fighting their way up through the glycerol-rich concentrated wine. Intense and rich and at the same time nuanced and complex. The small concentrated grapes ultimately produced an ultimate gastronomic masterpiece. The scent cannonade is classic Bollinger, but fresh and more nuanced than I expected from the vintage. Stone fruits, honeysuckle, honey, plum marmalade, Cox Orange, raspberry, almond, hazelnut, leather, tanned skin, cigar, and duck liver are all clear instruments in the orchestra playing their richly generous vintage anthem. The freshness does not come from acid this time, but from lack of water and concentrated extracts in a similar way as the even more extreme 2003. I finish I find tobacco, forest and chocolate with sea salt, a delicious combination. Precisely the saltiness and the slightly higher tannin content contribute to making this a perfect partner for poultry in all its forms."

93 - 95/100 points, Richard Juhlin

"Bollinger's 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Denis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There's real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it."

96/100 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Food Pairing:

The creamy effervescence works with meat dishes, mushrooms, nuts, and red berries, as well as complex flavours such as citrus peel.