Personal advice
The historic Champagne house Bollinger has stood since 1829 for barrel-fermented, full-bodied and complex Champagnes of remarkable structure and depth. Its headquarters are located in Aÿ, precisely where the southern slopes of the Montagne de Reims descend into the Marne Valley.
Aÿ has been renowned for centuries for its great Pinot Noirs. As still wines, they were once as highly prized at the French royal court as the finest Burgundies. Nowhere else in Champagne does Pinot Noir achieve such ripeness, power and richness. From the outset, founder Jacques Bollinger combined the pronounced terroir character of this Grand Cru with cooler Pinot Noir sites in Verzenay and the mineral-driven Chardonnays of the Côte des Blancs — a stylistic vision that remains unchanged to this day.
Bollinger Champagnes are defined by concentrated Pinot Noir from exceptional vineyards. Barrel ageing introduces subtle oxidative notes reminiscent of walnut and ripe apple. With maturity, aromas of nougat, hazelnut, gunflint, orange zest, lemon and dried apricot emerge. Extended lees ageing creates a creamy texture and an ultra-fine mousse.
The essence of Bollinger lies in the perfect balance between power, depth and mineral freshness. Jacques Bollinger deliberately sought out cooler Grand Cru sites in Verzenay and mineral-rich Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs to harmonise the style.
Under cellar master Denis Bunner, the style has become slightly more modern in recent years: fewer oxidative notes, fresher fruit and greater finesse on the palate. The 2015 vintage, however, is powerful and decidedly traditional.
Bollinger’s non-vintage Champagne was once rightly known as “Special Cuvée”. Over the past 20 years, production has expanded significantly. The wine is no longer as concentrated and is now largely vinified in stainless steel. A well-made Champagne — but no longer truly compelling for connoisseurs.
Bollinger’s vintage Champagne remains one of the very few capable of stirring profound emotion today. While even traditional houses such as Krug increasingly emphasise fruit and early approachability, Bollinger remains firmly committed to classic values and methods with La Grande Année.
Oxidative barrel ageing gives rise to complex nutty aromas even in youth. Prolonged lees ageing ensures an ultra-fine mousse. Whereas seven years was once standard, the 2008 rested for nine years, while the 2015 returned to seven.
The exceptionally old chalk soils of Verzenay lend pronounced freshness and minerality, further supported by the low dosage. The acidity, however, is less piercing than in wines with a higher proportion of Côte des Blancs Chardonnay.
In its youth, La Grande Année has a relatively short drinking window dominated by lees-derived aromas. Its refined tertiary notes only emerge after eight to twelve years. In classically structured vintages such as 1996 and 2008, true harmony may take up to twenty years.
For many years, Bollinger did not regard rosé as a serious Champagne for connoisseurs. Compared with the white vintage, the rosé was always softer, fruitier, less complex, less structured and less age-worthy.
The first vintage was 1985. 1996 and 2002 rank among the finest. The first rosé to truly impress us was the 2012 vintage — for the first time matching the freshness of the white, and in 2012 arguably surpassing it.
1914 is considered one of the great vintages of Champagne. During renovations in 2010, Bollinger discovered bottles hidden behind a wall sealed during the war. The mousse has almost entirely faded; the bouquet is chocolaty and nutty, yet the palate remains fruit-driven.
This cuvée originates from an idea by US importer Julius Wile in the 1960s: to combine the maturity of an older vintage with the freshness of a recently disgorged Champagne. In 1967, three R.D. vintages were released simultaneously. At the time, dosage stood at 13 g/l. The 1952 still shows aromas of honey and sweet black cherries.
R.D. is based on the same base wines as La Grande Année, but remains on the lees considerably longer, gaining additional complexity and silkiness. It can be enjoyed a few years after disgorgement, but then closes down and requires further cellaring.
Compared with La Grande Année, dosage is even lower. In youth, it appears firmer, more acid-driven, with aromas leaning towards grilled hazelnuts and lactic notes. With extended ageing, La Grande Année reaches a comparable level. Bottles from the 1950s and 1960s demonstrate that the standard vintage often ages more gracefully.
The phylloxera epidemic ravaged Champagne from the beginning of the last century. In the 1920s, most vineyards were replanted on resistant rootstocks, though a few ungrafted parcels survived in Aÿ and Bouzy. These confer a unique quality on older vintages.
In 1969, as quantities dwindled, Bollinger decided to create a cuvée exclusively from these vines, an idea proposed by English wine writer Cyril Ray. 1969 remains outstanding today. Due to low yields and deep root systems, more VVF vintages exist than Vintage or Grande Année. Today, only two parcels remain: Chaudes Terres and Clos St Jacques, near the estate.
Bollinger owns almost 178 hectares of vineyards — a rarity in Champagne. This estate covers the entire production; only Special Cuvée relies on purchased grapes. La Grande Année draws from 18 villages, with approximately 70% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay.
Only first-press juice is used for La Grande Année. After cold settling, base wines mature in four-year-old oak barrels. Lees ageing lasts eight to nine years, with dosage between 5 and 8 g/l.
Founded in 1829 by Jacques Bollinger and partners, the house remains family-owned and stands for remarkable continuity in style, craftsmanship and philosophy.