- Cherry, red currant and Moro orange meet hazelnut, tobacco, nougat and leather
- The complicated year 2015 is a great, mature year at Bollinger in the style of 1976
La Grande Annee Rose 2015 has the typical aromas of cherry, red currant, and blood orange. These come from the 5% Pinot Noir from the famous Cotes aux Enfants vineyard in Ay. The proportion is lower in 2015, resulting in a pale color that tends toward light orange. Added to this are aromas of hazelnut, nougat, tobacco, and leather. These come from the 57% Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Ay, and Mareuil, which is fermented without skins. 38% Chardonnay from Chouilly, Avize, and Grauves contributes acidity and the aroma of lemon. Experience has shown that it takes a few years for the combination of sparkling wine and still wine to harmonize completely. In the meantime, it may be less refined, but it is more intense and seductive than the white wine. 2015 is not a consistently good year, and aromas of raw mushrooms from unripe Pinot Noirs have recently led to criticism. Bollinger itself considers 2015 to be a great year with exceptional ripeness, concentration, and texture. The house harvested perfectly ripe grapes instead of harvesting too early like many winemakers who were concerned about acid reduction. The house has the advantage of having a very wide range of vineyards. These include late-ripening Chardonnay vineyards with very high acidity. Thus, 2015 has become a great year for Grande Annee.
The rosé has only been available since the 2004 vintage, which was not particularly successful. Progress has been steady, and 2012 and 2015 show what Bollinger
