Champagne Bollinger - Brut Spécial Cuvée

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Spécial Cuvée benefits from a high proportion of reserve wines kept in magnums, ensuring unrivalled precision in the blends.

About the domain :

A traditional Champagne house established in Aÿ since 1829, Bollinger remains at the very top of the Champagne world. Its 178-hectare vineyard of Grands Crus and Premier Crus accounts for 60% of its supply. The entire production of vintage wines is vinified in barrels, as is a small proportion of the house's multi-millennium brut, the Special Cuvée. The latter benefits from a high proportion of reserve wines kept in magnums, ensuring unrivalled precision in the blends. In recent years, the house has created some exciting new cuvées: a blanc de noir d'Aÿ from the Côte aux Enfants parcel, which also produces a superb coteau champenois. And pinot noir cuvées named after the dominant cru in the blend, which varies from year to year. All the house wines shine at the table.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

Famous house founded in 1829 by Joseph Bollinger, a merchant originally from Württemberg. It has remained a family business, although since 2008 it has been chaired by a non-family member (Charles-Armand de Belenet since 2017). With a vineyard of 179 ha, predominantly Pinot Noir (60%), and a cooperage, the company is careful to maintain its style, based on skilful blending of wines vinified separately in oak barrels (reused to avoid a dominant woodiness) and small-capacity vats. Reserve wines are kept in magnums under "petite mousse". The wines are bottled under cork and aged for a long time on their lees. Having joined the company in 2003, Gilles Descôtes took over from six cellar managers in 2013.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

A creamy freshness emerges from the first aromas of white fruit (peach, quince), raspberry and chalk in a delicate, refined nose. and refinement. The remarkably creamy bubbles lend an airy quality an airy quality to this charming wine, all fruit and roundness without any without heaviness. The comfortable finish retains a refined with chalky notes.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Spécial Cuvée expresses both a beautiful vinous patina and sapid greed, while retaining its dynamism.

About the domain :

If ever there was a brand with a strong personality and a highly recognizable style, it's Bollinger. This family-run house from Aÿ produces wines dominated by Pinot Noir, vinous, deep and with a subtle patina. The history of Bollinger is incredibly rich. A benchmark house, always taking the initiative. The quality of the older vintages bears witness to this commitment to excellence, handed down from generation to generation. The character and vinosity of these gourmet champagnes remain a benchmark.

James Suckling

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Champagne Special Cuvée NV opens in a bright yellow/silver hue and reveals a fresh and actually more mineral profile on the nose than I expected, revealing layers of fresh raspberries, brioche, wet stone and orange blossom. The palate is medium to full-bodied and classically rounded, as you'd expect from this house, but retains good tension and a silky, chalky texture, with ultra-fine mousse, salinity in its grapefruit zest and almond notes, and a creamy texture on the finish. This is a very stylish wine that will drink very well over the next ten years. They always try to have 8-10 vintages in the blend, the oldest being 18 years old (15 years old when bottled).