Bollinger : Special Cuvée

No specific tasting note

A mellow gold-amber color and ripe, generous peach, honey and fig flavors indicate this French bubbly is wonderfully mature. Ample and enjoyable, it shows great balance and a long finish. Drink now.

A polished palate of fine bubbles with pears, light bread dough and caramel undertones. Medium-bodied with pretty toasted-oak and vanilla flavors. Refined finish. Touch of quince and grapefruit with dried apples. Base wine 2021 plus nine different vintages. A blend of 61% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay and 14% pinot meunier. Drink now.

Aromas of ripe apple, coriander, ginger, earth and lanolin. Rich, fat, ripe and spicy, with creamy flavors of brioche, cinnamon and butter. Conveys an impression of rather high dosage for Bollinger, but this is partly a function of the wine's ripeness and sheer weight. Ultimately offers a pleasing sugar/acid balance. Finishes quite long and spicy.

Medium golden yellow with silver reflections and very fine, small-grained mousse. Nuances of yellow stone fruit, plums and oranges on the nose, with a hint of brioche, blossom honey and candied zest. Juicy and harmonious on the palate with a core of fine fruit sweetness, lively acid structure and a mineral-lemon finish. A balanced style with good length - more price-performance is difficult to imagine. (L2407403, PM).

A rich yet youthful golden hue, the NV Champagne Special Cuvée Brut is classic and ripe, with lush, rounded, and complex aromas of golden apricot, hazelnut, wet stone, and black cherry. Made with 45% of the wine coming from the 2019 vintage and 55% reserve wine, it’s full-bodied yet elegant and light on its feet, with a ripe, luxurious feel and just a hint of warmth on the finish. The mousse is refined and rounded. Long on the palate, it’s inviting now but will have plenty of life ahead if stored properly. This exceptional cuvée, with its distinctive personality, remains one of the best entry wines in this house’s range and is a benchmark wine for them.

Rich, complex and quite leesy, it has a mature aroma and texture to it—it's almost thick and doughy. The fruit is in the orange and grapefruit range, with a bit of pear poking through. It's a good idiosyncratic Champagne, but it may not be for everyone, as it definitely has a mature style all its own.