2008 Champagne, Bollinger, La Grande Année
About Producer
Founded in 1829, Bollinger was propelled to world fame thanks to Madame Lily Bollinger’s courage, resolve and business acumen when she was in charge of running the House between 1941 and 1971. Lily Bollinger's famous quote was 'I drink champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it -- unless I'm thirsty.' With 178ha of vineyards, of which 85% are in Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages, Bollinger is one of the few Houses to produce the majority of their own grapes for their blends.
Varietals
From 91% Grand Cru and 9% Premier Cru vineyards, blend of 71% pinot noir and 29% chardonnay. Aged 9+ years on the lees and disgorged in June 2018. Dosage: 9g/L. First vintage of La Grande Année to be bottled in a new narrower-necked mini replica of a magnum, inspired by a bottle dating back to 1846 which was discovered in the Bollinger cellars.
About Appellation
One of the first mentions of vines in the region was made by Saint Remigius, the Bishop of Reims who baptised the King of the Franks Clovis I in 496, who listed in his testament a vineyard in the suburb of Reims. Much has been written about the key roles of Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638-1715), a Benedictine monk at Hautvilliers Abbey, and Frère Jean Oudart (1654-1742), from Saint-Pierre-aux-Monts Abbey in Pierry, in the development of Champagne as we know today. In 1690, 'Champagne Wines' were first mentioned to designate sparkling wines of the region, and it was also the first time in France that a wine was identified as produce from a specific region. Today, the vineyards covers 34,300ha in four sub-regions, Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and Côte des Bar. Within the three first sub-regions, there are 17 Grand Cru communes. While the main grape varieties are pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, four other varietals are also used in some blends, arbane, petit meslier, pinot blanc and pinot gris (known locally as fromenteau).
Tasting Notes
Enthralling nose of orchard fruits, citrus zest, warm pastry, marzipan and orange blossom, expressive mouthfeel with dense texture, broad structure and remarkable depth, oodles of flavours of white peach, green apple, grapefruit, melon, grilled almond, honeycomb and ginger liberally laced with chalky mineral undertones, racy acidity and refined bubbles leading onto a long, precise finish. La Grande Année is one of my favourite go-to champagne and every single time I taste it, I invariably find myself swooning over the elaborate choreography of opulence and finesse that beguilingly plays out on the palate. One of the best versions of this cuvée ever produced, this 2008 is irresistible with its dazzling display of composed elegance, spirited personality and multidimensional complexity. Given the high proportion of pinot noir in the blend, it’s somewhat assertive and vinous, yet incredibly fresh and pure, with high acidity and balanced fruit flavours that should bode well for exceptionally long ageing. (06/2024)