Bollinger PN VZ 15

The introduction of a series of pinot noir wines focussing on a particular terroir begins with the PNVZ15. This is the first new champagne for this conservative house since the introduction of the non vintage rose in 2008. Each edition of the series will have a different base vintage and terroir. PN stands for pinot noir, VZ for Verzenay which generally provides the chalky back bone of RD and Grande Annee is the dominating terroir with a little Ay, Bouzy and Tauxieres wines. 2015 makes up 50 % of the blend, the rest comes from 2009 aged in magnum. This impressive champagne interpretes the typical Bollinger style in a fresher way. Richard Juhlin rates it 95 and writes in July 2020 in Champagne Club: "The presentation is brilliant and is reminiscent of the house's legendary blanc de noirs Bollinger ’Vieilles Vignes Françaises’….. Verzenay is often the chalky and mineral-rich backbone of Bollinger's vintage build-up. The wine is vibrantly fresh, mineral-driven and extremely pure. There is a clarity and sharpness that is outstanding, where gunpowder notes and aroma of grilled meat develop as the glass warms up slightly. I love this wine as it is a perfect creation from one of the most important villages in the whole of Champagne dominated by the aforementioned minerality, but also with notes of violet and red grapefruit so typical of Verzenay of the highest class. On aeration the scent develops more and more notes of pears, figs and freshly baked baguette and the taste develops towards peach and apricot jam. Personally, though, I will wait as long as I can before opening my own bottles to get the increasing depth of caramel and grilled hazelnut flavour that only time in the cellar can provide."