Live chat
Handcrafted every step of the way, this Pinot Noir rich cuvée comes from the best vineyards. Only made in the very best vintages (2008 was the last), it is "a superb effort and obviously built to age" (Wine Advocate). With 95pts, very fine in magnum.
Tasting notes
Generous, creamy texture; sublime honey, hazelnut and orchard fruit
Aroma
Hugely expressive; minerally nuances, quince and caramelised apple
Allergy information
Contains sulphites
More information
Established in Ay in 1829, Bollinger is without doubt one of the top names in Champagne. It remains a family company and is run by a great grandson of founder Ghislain de Montgolfier. Winemaker is Gilles Descôtes, who champions a muscular style of Champagne, using 71% Grand Cru grapes, while the rest come from Premier Cru vineyards. Crucially, the wine is barrel fermented, an expensive process adding considerably to the depth and complexity of flavour. Not only are bottles turned by hand, they are disgorged (the removal of yeast sediment) manually as well. Thus La Grande Année is as much a work of art as a tribute to winemaking science. Only made in the finest vintages, it's creamy, concentrated and complex. Will reward ageing if you can.