Product Information:
La Grande Année 2015 comes from a remarkable season - blazing hot sunshine moderated by well-timed showers and Bollinger’s expertise. Harvest began on September 4th and was of a very high quality. Notably compact bunches of small berries and quite high levels of acidity.
La Grande Année 2015 is a blend of 11 crus, predominantly 60% of Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and 40% of Chardonnay from Chouilly and Avize. Fermentation takes place entirely in oak barrels and the wine is aged, sealed with a natural cork, for more than twice the time required by the appellation. Dosage is moderate, 8 grams per litre.
La Grande Année is the very embodiment of an exceptional, timeless champagne. All Bollinger vintages, including La Grande Année, are riddled and disgorged entirely by hand, a process which takes place after the wine has long been aged on its lees, in bottles sealed with cork. These rigorous, artisanal techniques including in-house cooperage contribute to making La Grande Année a truly hand-crafted wine.
Maker:
Since 1829, Champagne Bollinger has been making great wines with a powerful, refined and complex style, expressing the aromas of the fruit in all its dimensions. This truly unique taste is the result of a particular affinity for the elegance of pinot noir, uncompromising excellence, an exceptional vineyard and traditional craftsmanship handed down through the generations with the utmost care since 1829.
The story begins with Athanase de Villermont, who inherited a vast estate from his family on the outskirts of Aÿ. He instantly sensed the extraordinary potential of the wines of Champagne, but as a member of the aristocracy, he was forbidden from taking part in any commercial activity. Then he met Joseph “Jacques” Bollinger, who specialised in selling the wines of Champagne, and Paul Renaudin, a born-and-bred Champenois fascinated by the world of wine. On 6 February 1829, the company Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie was founded. Joseph was in charge of sales, while Paul oversaw the cellar. Athanase had founded a Champagne house that would transcend centuries.
Through turbulent times including the phylloxera crisis throughout Europe's vineyards and World War I, Georges Bollinger, son of founder Jacques, steered the house with resilience and dedication. His son, Jacques Bollinger, continued the legacy, expanding the estate and modernising facilities while upholding Bollinger's exacting standards. After Jacques' passing, Madame Bollinger, known for her business acumen and global ambassadorship, navigated the post-war recovery and succession planning until 1971, ensuring the house thrived. Successive leaders like Claude d'Hautefeuille (appointed chairman from 1971) and Christian Bizot (1978) upheld Bollinger's legacy, with Ghislain de Montgolfier (1994) and Jérôme Philipon (2008) furthering its global stature and quality standards into the modern era. Since 2017, Charles-Armand de Belenet became Chief Executive Officer of Champagne Bollinger, embracing both tradition and innovation, maintaining its prestigious position in the Champagne world while fostering continued growth and excellence.
Philosophy:
Over the years, Bollinger has built its vineyards at the heart of the finest crus in Champagne. Champagne Bollinger’s 180 hectares of vines are made up of 85% Grand and Premier crus and are farmed by our teams of growers across 7 separate vineyards: Aÿ, Avenay, Tauxières, Louvois and Verzenay for pinot noir, around the Montagne de Reims, Cuis for chardonnay on the Côte des Blancs and Champvoisy for meunier in the Vallée de la Marne. Another of Bollinger’s distinctive features are two plots, the Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres, which have never succumbed to phylloxera. These ungrafted vines are entirely tended by hand and reproduced using a form of layering called provignage, thereby providing the means to preserve this extraordinary heritage from which the very exclusive Vieilles Vignes Françaises cuvée is produced.
With regards to sustainability. In 2012, Champagne Bollinger was the first wine house in France whose vineyards were certified as ‘High Environmental Value’ (HEV). Two years later, it was also the first to receive the Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne certification. These prestigious labels assure the highest standards in environmental practice. Herbicides have also been banned on our vineyards since 2016. Each and every day, the managers of Bollinger vineyards use natural techniques to limit the pressure on the soil. These include the establishment of cover crops, mulching and environmentally-friendly grazing. In addition to sustainability Champagne Bollinger is proud to have B Corp certification, maintaining its ongoing commitment to the Land but also to its people, and to its Bollinger's illustrious legacy.
On the subject of legacy and preservation Bollinger is home to the last resident cooper of the Champagne region. Cooperage is a highly skilled craft: each one of Bollinger’s 4,000 aged barrels, of which some are nearly 100 years old, requires great attention. Learning to maintain this legacy in perfect condition requires rigorous training, which is why cooperage is a craft that must be passed on to younger generations. Bollinger attaches great importance to preserving this valuable expertise.
Nose - Stone Fruits, Blackcurrant, Honey Glazed Almond
Initial scents are full of small stone fruits, with notes of cider apples 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.
Palate - Mirabelle Plum, Honey, Cream
On the palate the wine is plump, generous and enticing, reminiscent of Mirabelle plum jam. Texture and richness define the tasting experience.
Finish - Hints of Chocolate, Citrus Zing, Chalk Dust
The finish blends notes of chocolate and citrus fruits, bringing a touch of acidity, lengthened further by hints of schist. A hugely generous wine!
A shade paler gold than its counterpart in 750ml format, the aromatic profile echoes that of the wine in bottle but in a fresher, tighter, leaner manner with a reductive note and an extra touch of sweet vanilla spice; more elemental when you taste it, all the flavours combining, but lurking; the oxidative note that’s so prominent in the bottle, is in a minor key here, while the flavours tend to the drier side, with minerality in the saline Verzenay note on the finish, and this has the potential for longer ageing. - Anthony Rose, 97 Points.
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. - Jancis Robinson, 17+ Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Champagne
Varietal - 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Country - France
Region - Champagne
Vintage - 2015
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 12.5%
