Bollinger PN VZ 19

PNVZ 19 has 2019 as its base year, but also contains older wines back to 2009. However, it is decidedly mineral, structured and also has good acidity. PNVZ19 is much firmer than the AYC18. Only its concentration betrays the warm year 2019, which is reminiscent of 1976. After opening, it has beautiful flavours and drinks well, but closes on the barrel. Half of the cuvée consists of grapes from Vezernay, which is famous for its fresh and mineral wines. The acidity of the 2019 vintage is not high, but the PNVZ 19 has plenty of mineral extract and the reserve wines also contribute to the overall impression of freshness and balance. It is silky on the palate, possibly due to the high ripeness of the base wines, which make up about half of the blend and date back to 2009. It has impressive concentration and wonderfully attractive fruit flavours of red apples, dried apricots, raspberries, gooseberries and orange peel. There is also a smoky flavour, which is partly due to the ageing in oak barrels. This Pinot Noir champagne is the best option for enjoying the class of Bollinger without spending too much money. The PNVZ 19 outperforms the 2018 in the long term, but will drink better over the next few years.

Richard Juhlin champagneclub.com 95 (93) Unsurprisingly, the 2019 base year with its richness once again received mineral-influenced Verzenay (40%) as the base terroir when Aÿ produced slightly too rich wines. The reserve wines on the magnum [all reserve wines are matured in magnum] once again go all the way down to the tasty 2009 vintage all from Verzenay. Aÿ, Louvois, Bisseuil, Avenay, Tours-sur-Marne, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Mutigny stand for the background chords. Currently, the champagne charms through its complex and youthfully energetic bouquet of peach peel, gooseberry, cox orange apples, sea buckthorn, geranium and marigolds. The texture is at the same time softly ripe and velvety. The breadth of flavours is magnificently orchestrated and each new sip brings additional aromas at hand. The potential alcohol content was record high from the start especially in Aÿ with 11.1 % straight away and Denis, just like me, sees great similarities between 2015 and 2019, but where the sharpness and freshness is better in 2019. It is not the acidity but rather the mineral salt that gives the freshness together with the sense of umami the concentrated grapes give. Here there is a swirl of exotic fruit and honey, but also a dry smokiness that I've learned to associate with the cluster of aromas that transforms over time into the note of railway on a hot summer's day. It might sound fuzzy, but it actually makes perfect sense. The combination of heated rail, dry gravel, dandelions and nettles that thrive in the embankment gives a concentrated warm dryness that is strongly reminiscent of the character the grapes acquire when the temperature crosses the vine's pain point on a few hot summer days. 41 degrees in the shade was a heat record in Champagne and especially a lot of shade, the vineyards in Champagne cannot boast of so the effect is reminiscent of that which arose in 1947, 1959, 1976 and 2003. Hence this aroma albeit less marked in 2019. Let's see if I'm right in 10 years when I expect that "the famous note of Railroad track" will appear in this beauty. PN VZ19 is tasted with great pleasure and intellectual challenge straight away, but personally, as usual, I will wait as long as I can before opening my own bottles to get the increasing depth of butter-fried cepp and toasted hazelnut aromas that only aging can provide.

750 mL

12.5

Champagne

Pinot noir

Sulphites

• Brut

France

Champagne Bollinger, 16 Rue Jules Lobet, 51160 Ay, Frankreich