Bollinger's 1990 Brut La Grande Année is drinking superbly today, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of dried orange, pear, praline, honeyed toast and subtle hints of mocha. Full-bodied, textural and vinous, with superb depth at the core, bright girdling acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse, it's seamless and complete.

Wine Advocate October, 1998 I highly recommend the Bollinger 1990 Grande Annee (92+; $70.00). It is extremely backward, but, wow, what intensity and richness it possesses. The structure is akin to a serious red wine.

Gold-tinged color. Deep, maturing aromas of toffee, butterscotch, ginger and molasses. Fat and rich in the mouth, with excellent intensity; in the mature Bollinger style but far more successful than the bottling from the lower acid 1989 vintage. Thick with extract, and palate staining on the aftertaste. A main course Champagne.