Personal advice
1999 is a good, but not outstanding year in Champagne, but there is one major standout: the Grande Année from Bollinger. It doesn't have the acidity structure and concentrated power of 1996, but it is still the second great star of the 1990s, just ahead of 1995. By the way, 1990 in Champagne is ripe and fruity, but often not top-tier.
It is now at the beginning of its optimal drinking window, where fruity and nutty aromas come together, but it will still improve.
Richard Juhlin describes it on champagneclub.com: 96(96) The 99 is super-gorgeous with lovely balance and easily accessible creaminess, even now with chocolate and nutty undertones. Will certainly keep for a very long time and should, despite its early charm, be stored for at least five more years before being consumed. Beautiful and chocolatey 2023. Last bottle at Les Crayeres 98 points and one of the most sensational bottles this year.
After an early start to the growing season, the vines develop well, without being hindered by frost. In May, widespread hail occurs. The summer is warm and sunny, and August is also dry, without any disease pressure. The grapes develop well, and optimism spreads that after 1996, another great year could follow. In September, however, more frequent rain and wet weather sets in. Harvest begins on 15th September with good yields. In some cases, however, the late rain has diluted the musts.
The grapes are very ripe, and the wines have little structure and low acidity. The Champagnes have an early maturing charm, with plenty of fruit, sometimes even exotic, and develop quickly.
However, there are still quite a few very good Pinot Noirs. Bollinger and Roederer harvest concentrated grapes from old vines with high phenolic ripeness and good structure.
When one thinks of the origins of Bollinger, the first name that comes to mind is Joseph Bollinger, one of the many Germans from Krug, Heidsieck, and Deutz who sought their fortune in Champagne and played a key role in its development. Joseph, however, focused on the commercial side. When the house Bollinger Renaudin & Cie was established on 6th February 1929, a significant vineyard estate around Ay was already in place. Athanase de Villermont inherited this, having distinguished himself as a soldier in the American Revolutionary War. He recognised the great potential for grape growing but thought that Champagne was not a suitable occupation for someone of his rank, which is why he let Messrs Bollinger and Renaudin take the lead and hid behind the "Cie".
Today, Bollinger owns 178 hectares of vineyards in great locations. Historically, it is the savoir-faire of the houses that creates added value, while grape growing remains in the hands of small-scale farmers. For successful houses, it would be easy to buy vineyards, but managing large areas efficiently and with high quality is a challenge. The contract growers manage their own land and are paid for the grapes, which motivates them much more than poorly paid seasonal workers. Bollinger, however, masters this challenge well.
What drives Joseph Bollinger to take care of his own vineyards? He recognised early on the importance of terroir. Even long before such factors were noticed or discussed, he understood that Ay, while it guarantees high and reliable ripeness for Pinot Noir, can produce overly rich wines in warmer years, lacking in freshness, balance, and even complexity. From this insight, he decided to buy land in the cooler Grand Cru Verzenay, a decision that has been continued by his descendants.
Today, at a time when land and grapes are expensive, owning their own vineyards allows the house to maintain elaborate, traditional methods that involve costly handwork. The barrels are made in-house, the bottles are hand-riddled, and the reserve wines are not stored in tanks, but in magnums under natural corks. Since grapes don't need to be bought at high prices, the financial possibilities are quite different.
Bollinger has become a money-making machine and has expanded significantly with the Special Cuvée. When it was first introduced about 100 years ago, Special Cuvée was not far behind the vintage in quality. Only grapes from the best vineyards were used in the cuvée. Special Cuvée was at a level that even many prestige Champagnes today can only dream of. Bottles from the 1960s are still surprisingly good when well-stored. Even 20 years ago, it was still a fantastic Champagne, while today it is a well-made mass-produced product.
The vintage Champagnes, now called La Grande Année, are still among the highlights of Champagne. Which other house has a similar series of great vintages? Only Krug:
The glorious 1920s are still the reference from the Bollinger cellar today: 1921, 1928, and 1929. 1945 and 1934 are singularities. 1959 begins a great run, continued with 1964, 66, 69, and 73. Was there a weak period? 1975, 1979, 1982 were somewhat below expectations, with 1976 even disappointing today, but from 1983 a new series began, continued with 1985 and 1988. 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002, and 2008 are fabulous. Even the lesser "Grande Années" are strong.
A glance at the Alfavin cellar
A glance at the Alfavin cellar
A glance at the Alfavin Cellar