Personal advice
La Grande Année 2004 displays ripe yellow apples and lemons, accompanied by pronounced walnut spice, honey, and delicate gingerbread notes. The full, creamy palate is threaded with lively, precise acidity that creates freshness and tension together with the mineral sparkle. The finish is long, with distinct roasted tones. Even several days after opening, the wine continues to evolve – it becomes more complex and elegant, the lemons transform into orange zest, the walnut into white nougat. Although it is already very approachable now, its absolute peak still lies a few years ahead. Excellent aging potential – far from self-evident in this demanding yet delicious vintage. 2004 embodies the classic, nutty, full-bodied Bollinger style in its purest form.
The year is characterized by an unusual weather pattern.
The vines started very early and under ideal conditions in spring, favored by abundant sunshine. However, cool, wet weather set in during July, causing hail damage in parts of the region.
August remained overcast and cool, slowing ripening and initially threatening the harvest. Only September and October then brought stable, sunny, and dry weather with cool nights – perfect conditions for slow, even grape ripening. This allowed high quality levels with good acidity structure and balanced maturity to be achieved.
Yields were extremely high, averaging well over 20,000 kg per hectare. Despite the large quantities, houses like Bollinger managed to produce wines with remarkable concentration, structure, and depth through consistent thinning and selection of the grapes.
A glance at the Alfavin cellar
A glance at the Alfavin cellar
A glance at the Alfavin Cellar