The 2015 Brut La Grande Année was disgorged last year with eight grams per liter dosage. The wine has turned out beautifully, exhibiting a more muscular, old-school Bollinger profile in contrast to the unusually racy, fine-boned 2014 that preceded it. Wafting from the glass with notes of pear, orange oil and white flowers mingled with notions of mocha, toasted hazelnuts and fino sherry, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, with a dense core of fruit framed by chalky structuring extract, concluding with a long, sapid finish.

Essi Avellan MW“A hot year with drought issues made Bollinger seek freshness and subtlety via Pinot Noirs of north facing terroirs and an unusually high proportion of Chardonnay (40%). The nose oozes lush red berry fruit, golden raisins and tropical fruit exuberance. Rich and ripe in profile, the wine if laudably free of the culprit of the year, the vegetal austerity, which Bollinger was able to avoid by barrel vinifications’ effect in removing excess phenolics and the strict selection enabled by individual barrels. There is impressive density on the textured palate, that finishes on a spicy note adding on to the wine’s freshness. A rare success in 2015, this is a vintage for the friends of Bollinger’s classically vinous style. Due to its richness and structuredness it promises fine potential for ageing.”

A forward vintage for La Grande Année, with warmth evident in its roasted orange, Comice pear and Mirabelle plum, all polished with a sense of savoury maturity that is very Bollinger at heart. There’s a little more oxygen influence seemingly at play than in the 2014, with brine, nuts and a little dried leaf character already taking this far beyond fruit. The food-friendly chewiness of 2015 is there, but the mousse is supple and the Chardonnay brings the wine to a close with a fine, cooked lemon snap. This will start to show its best integration from 2025 onwards, although it is open for business now. 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims, Grande Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs, all fermented in small oak barrels and disgorged in May 2023 after seven years on lees.

A bright yellow straw color, the 2015 Champagne La Grande Année is a little shy on the nose initially but opens to reveal a slightly sunnier feel with notes of mandarin orange, bitter almond, chalky earth, delicate toast, and spice. It’s more intense on the palate, with a pithy and broader structure. This was a tricky year, but the mousse is lively and has lift, and is not overtly vegetal in the profile. A full-bodied and savory wine all the way through, with a briny feel on the finish, it’s going to benefit from another year or two in bottle and drink well over the coming 10-15 years. For a long time, Bollinger only allowed private visits, but they plan to open a visiting center in 2027 in the center of Ay and are also going to increase production from their current 4000 barrels to 5500. In addition, they’re going to start adding information to the label of their Special Cuvée.

Full bottle 1,637 g. A blend of 11 crus, 79% Grand Cru, 21% Premier Cru, predominantly 60% Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and 40% Chardonnay from Chouilly and Avize. All oak-fermented and hand-riddled. Disgorged June 2023. Dosage 8 g/l. Mid straw. Very deep-flavoured on the nose. Some richness and only the beginning of Bollinger's trademark mushroom flavour which I would expect to develop with time. Lighter on the palate than the nose at the moment. It's currently a little more sprightly than some Grande Années. (JR)