Average rating 4.9/5 stars across all Google and external reviews
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Bought directly from Bollinger through their UK agent Mentzendorff, the bottles are stored in bond at London City Bond Eton Park, in ideal conditions at a constant 13°C. For same-day deliveries, small quantities are kept in our office cellar, where the temperature is maintained between 11–13°C. We source all our bottles directly from the Maison or their official UK office, eliminating the risk of poor storage. This is crucial, as champagne quality is highly sensitive to heat: temperatures above 18°C accelerate maturity significantly, which compromises quality.
Bottles Available:
3 × 75cl - 60+ from 20th Aug We keep some stock in our London Warehouse. Large volumes take 24 hours from our out of London warehouse.
Champagne Bollinger owns an impressive 178 hectares of vineyards, of which 85% are in Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages. Their land is spread over seven main villages: Aÿ, Avenay, Louvois, Tauxières and Verzenay planted with Pinot Noir; Cuis with Chardonnay; and Champvoisy with Meunier. Bollinger are one of the few Houses to produce the majority of their own grapes for their blends. Pinot Noir represents 60% of the House's vineyards and defines the House style: complex and powerful with remarkable structure. In 2012 Champagne Bollinger was certified High Environment Value (HEV) this certification rewards a number of environmental procedures implemented at the Maison.
In 1976, Bollinger Vintage was re-named Grande Année. Then in 1997, it became La Grande Année - 'The Great Year' - a name simple enough to illustrate its exceptional status, because only truly extraordinary years become vintage at Bollinger. This vintage is entirely fermented in oak barrels and is produced from fourteen crus: 91% Grand Cru and 9% Premier Cru. 2008 is the first vintage of La Grande Année to be bottled in the new '1846' bottle which is to replicate a small magnum. This bottle has been completely redesigned, inspired by a 19th-century bottle discovered in the Bollinger cellars which dates back to 1846. The idea in using the curved shape of the bottle is to aim for the perfect balance of a “small magnum” with a narrower neck and a wider base, to very slightly slow down the oxygen exchange and therefore give a better quality wine with longer ageing potential.
Vinification takes place exclusively in small old oak barrels (20 years old on average), maintained in Bollinger’s cooperage, of which there are almost 3,500. Riddling and disgorging are performed entirely by hand, and take place after ageing on the lees in bottles with natural corks.
Weather: A wet winter and mild spring gave way to an exceptionally dry summer from mid-May onwards. Hot weather prevailed until mid-August, when the skies opened again. Rains gave way to fine, cool, yet sunny weather for the first two weeks of harvest, which commenced on August 29th. The 2015 vintage has a lot of common denominators with the 2003 vintage but the 2015s are showing a better balance of weight and freshness with their average potential alcohol level of 10.5% and total acidity of 6.9 g/l. The quality and ageing capacity of the vintage has been questioned because of the low acidity, but to me the structure of the wine is not the problem. An average vintage and we need to see more releases before we will know for sure how good the big names will be in 2015.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 79% Grand Cru, 21% Premier Cru | Pinot Noir: Aÿ, Verzenay & Mareuil-sur-Aÿ | Chardonnay: Avize & Chouilly
Grape Varieties: 60% Pinot Noir & 40% Chardonnay
Lees Ageing: 6.5 years
Disgorged: July 2023
Dosage: 8 g/l
Drink: Now to 2030
Tasting Note: Initial scents are full of small stone fruits, with notes of Pomme Gris, plum and Mirabelle plum, layered with a touch of honey. Aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry, and raspberry follow; a medley of red fruits dances with notes of almond. Exotic touches of mango follow, dissolving into tertiary scents of vanilla and a delicate woody aroma. On the palate the wine is plump, generous and enticing, reminiscent of Mirabelle plum jam.Texture and richness define the tasting experience.The finish blends notes of chocolate and citrus fruits, bringing a touch of acidity, lengthened further by hints of schist. A hugely generous wine!
Champagne Bollinger have been creating prestigious champagnes with character, distinguished by their elegance and complexity, since 1829. The story began when the son of a noble family, Athanase de Villermont, inherited an extensive estate in the Aÿ region. Foreseeing the extraordinary potential of the wines of Champagne, he founded the firm Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie upon meeting Joseph Bollinger, a widely travelled German and Paul Renaudin, a local man fascinated by the world of wine. Nearly two hundred years later, Bollinger are one of the biggest names in the region and are famously the preferred champagne brand of fictional British Secret Service agent, James Bond.
The House owns an impressive 178 hectares of vineyards, of which 85% are Grand Cru and Premier Cru vines. Their land is spread over seven main vineyards: Aÿ, Avenay, Louvois, Tauxières and Verzenay planted with Pinot Noir; Cuis with Chardonnay; and Champvoisy with Meunier. Bollinger are one of the few Houses to produce the majority of their own grapes for their blends. Pinot Noir represents 60% of the House's vineyards and defines the House style: complex and powerful with remarkable structure. In 2012 it was certified HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE (HEV) this certification rewards a number of environmental procedures implemented at the Champagne Bollinger vineyard, such as the large-scale reduction in the use of vine protection products, the implementation of organic pesticide treatments across the entire vineyard, energy recovery from pruning waste, the application of experimental organic farming on a section of the vineyard, and the numerous other actions carried out to protect biodiversity and embellish the vineyard.
Cellar Master: Denis Bunner
Winery Location: Aÿ | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Vallée de la Marne
Annual Production (bottles): 2,500,000
Chef de Cave History at Champagne Bollinger:
Denis Bunner 2023 - Current | Joined Bollinger as Deputy Chef de Cave in 2013 and became the 7th Chef de Cave in 2023. He joined 6th September 2013 and the harvest started end of September. He was involved in quality control, first grape purchasing, where he implemented new techniques to control the must’s quality at the laboratory. Very quickly it gave the Maison a quick global overview of the harvest’s quality and ability to control it more efficiently. In 2014 he oversaw the jetting process, used in Special Cuvee and case by case with the vintage cuvee. Before Bollinger Denis worked at the CIVC Oenology department, where for ten years he was involved with research and a member of the Laboratory of Tasting and Sensory Analysis, this tasting has mapped out his journey.
Gilles Descôtes 2013 - 2023 | In 2003 Gilles joined Champagne Bollinger holding a string of key positions; Deputy Director of Production, Director of Vineyards and Procurement and Technical Director. During his tenure as Director of Vineyards he lead the way for more sustainable farming in the vineyards, a key achievement for the HEV certification awarded to the Maison in 2012. Long before he was chef de cave, he was part of the tasting committee so in 2013 he was a natural successor to the outgoing chef de cave in 2013. He wasted no time in recruiting his deputy, Denis Bunner joined him in September 2013 from the CIVC. Gilles Descôtes pays the greatest attention to the grape, a raw material whose excellence is essential for the production of an exceptional champagne and his philosophy can be summed up "respect for the grape, to achieve the purity of the wines." He held the position for over 10 years, guiding the House's style, protecting traditions and sprinkling a little gold dust here and there! He was part of the team for example who in 2008 introduced nitrogen to the racking process protecting the wines from oxygen. Gilles grew up in Oger in the Côtes des Blancs and spent his childhood in Champagne. He went to primary school in Oger, high school in Épernay, before continuing his studies in Reims, Paris and Montpellier. A very warm and gentle soul who was incredibly generous with sharing information. After a short illness he died in January 2023, a major loss to the house and Champagne world.
Mathieu Kauffmann 2004 - 2013 | In February 2001 he joined the winemaking team at Bollinger working alongside Gérard Liot and became chef de cave in 2004. During his time at Champagne Bollinger he was an integral part to the Maison achieving its HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE (HEV) certification, awarding key environmental achievements across the winemaking and vineyard operations. He also believed "the wood allows the must to breathe" as a result all vintage cuvee became 100% fermented in oak. Mathieu also oversaw the construction of the Mareuil-sur-Ay pressing center and the expansion of the cellars in Ay. Kauffmann started his sparkling wine career in 1992 in his native Alsace where he headed up the Crémant production of the Cave d’Eguisheim.
Gérard Liot 1989 - 2004 | A local champenoise who joined Champagne Bollinger in 1969 and twenty years later was promoted to chef de cave.
Expert Reviews
94 → 96/100
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.”
96/100
Antonio Galloni
“Bollinger's 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Dennis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There's real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it. ”
95+/100
William Kelley
“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.”
93 → 95/100
Richard Juhlin
“Oops, is it already time for another vintage of this gem? Amazing how fast time goes. 2015 is generally a problematic vintage with heat stress and a period of drought. It is no art to get richness and power in the wines, but elegance and freshness are rare. Because Bollinger's house style is inherently so masculinely powerful, Bollinger's eminent team focused on preserving freshness first and foremost. According to Denis Bunner, Bollinger felt that the grapes they had access to gave more typicity and greater elegance to the Chardonnay this time. Hence a slightly higher content of the green grape than in the original recipe. Perhaps even more important was the choice of Avize and Verzenay as engines. Verzenay behaves in many ways like Chardonnay with its chalky elegance and great purity. This time the shares of Aÿ and Verzenay were equal for the unusual skull. Fat Cramant and Oger were now downplayed and Avize was primarily supported by tight Chouilly. An interesting detail that reduces tannin, clumsiness and contributes to an increased sense of freshness is, oddly enough, oak barrels. This is due to its great age and the company's strict selection of the best casks that only provide microoxidation. The color is already deep golden with a fine stream of tiny bubbles fighting their way up through the glycerol-rich concentrated wine. Intense and rich and at the same time nuanced and complex. The small concentrated grapes ultimately produced an ultimate gastronomic masterpiece. The scent cannonade is classic Bollinger, but fresh and more nuanced than I expected from the vintage. Stone fruits, honeysuckle, honey, plum marmalade, Cox Orange, raspberry, almond, hazelnut, leather, tanned skin, cigar, and duck liver are all clear instruments in the orchestra playing their richly generous vintage anthem. The freshness does not come from acid this time, but from lack of water and concentrated extracts in a similar way as the even more extreme 2003. I finish I find tobacco, forest and chocolate with sea salt, a delicious combination. Precisely the saltiness and the slightly higher tannin content contribute to making this a perfect partner for poultry in all its forms.”
96/100
Kristaps Karklins
“The 2015 La Grande Année, disgorged in May 2024 with a dosage of eight grams per liter, continues to drink beautifully, emerging from the glass with a deep bouquet of yellow apple, dried apricot, nashi pear and toasted hazelnut mingled with dried flowers, freshly baked bread and a hint of sage. Medium- to full-bodied, the palate is layered and fleshy, underpinned by ample reserves of chalky structuring extract, and concludes with a long, saline finish. It is a considerable success in the vintage and a very classic Bollinger, a wine with real identity.”
An exceptional evening in the village of Aÿ as Champagne Bollinger unveiled La Grande Année 2018, marking the first chapter in its journey towards its bicentenary in 2029.
To mark the release of the movie No Time To Die, the 25th instalment of the James Bond series, the House created a limited edition wine dedicated to 007, with a 2011 vintage inspired by the world of Bond.
Ever wondered what makes a good vintage and which years were the best in Champagne? This is the Champagne Vintage Guide, their overall ratings according to Essi Avellan MW and the best releases of the Vintage year.
Today on The Friday Bubble Essi Avellan and Nick Baker discuss Bollinger's latest release La Grande Année Rose 2014 & comparing to the previously released LGA 2014.
Today on The Friday Bubble, Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker, Founder of The Finest Bubble introduce Champagne Bollinger’s new release, the 3rd interpretation of the PN series, TX17.
Today sees the next edition in this new line-up. PN VZ16 is the second interpretation in a new series that will be released every year, always with a focus on one of Bollinger’s Pinot Noir crus.
In celebration of over 40 years of partnership as the Official Champagne of 007 and the upcoming film No Time To Die, Champagne Bollinger has produced a limited edition gift box that brings together three icons: Bollinger’s signature Special Cuvée, the Aston Martin DB5 and James Bond.
How Bollinger’s new PN VZ 15 is a glorious deep-dive into terroir - Written by Anne Krebiehl MW for The-Buyer.Net
The new Bollinger PN VZ 15 releases on 21st July 2020
During a visit to the house of Bollinger in Aÿ last year, we explored champagnes from some of the region's hottest ever vintages, dating as far back as 1947. We also held a mini-vertical of Special Cuvée base vintages, tasted a trio of R.D.s and had a look at the new Coteaux Champenois.
Shortly after the 2018 harvest, Bollinger Chef de Cave Gilles Descôtes declared that "2017 was the worst harvest of my life and 2018 is the best". We visited the house in Aÿ to taste the base wines and also tasted some of the rarer grape varieties, such as Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Gris.
On Wednesday 6th March 2019, we’ll be going LIVE on Instagram TV with Bollinger winemaker Karl Reuter, who'll be guiding us through a tasting of six Bollinger champagnes and answering questions put to him by the live audience.
Although Chef de Cave Gilles Descôtes described 2017 as "the worst since 1893", Bollinger continued to innovate. We tasted the results of some exciting trials they are conducting with the rarer grape varieties Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Gris.
It's not often that we taste Champagne that belongs in a museum. Our visit to Bollinger with Jancis Robinson MW included a tour of the newly renovated cellars and a tasting of Champagne produced during WWI.
The difficult 2016 vintage appears to have been kind to Champagne Bollinger. We tasted the Vins Clairs at the winery in Aÿ last month and the house are optimsitic - even drawing likeness to the magnificent 1988 vintage! We judged for ourselves...
