A magical Grande Annee
'The 2014 La Grande Annee is stunning. In fact, it is one of the best recent editions I can remember tasting. What comes through most is the wine`s sizzling energy and tension, qualities that aren't often associated with Bollinger, where the Champagnes tend to show more breadth and volume. In 2014, readers will find a Grande Annee built on linear intensity and drive. The 2014 is a blend taken from 19 villages, 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay instead of the more typical 70/30 mix. For the second time in two decades (the first was 2007), Verzenay takes the lead in the Pinots over Ay, more or less an inverse from the norm. Verzenay, a north-facing village in the Montagne de Reims that saw less rain than Ay and most of the Vallee de la Marne, yields Pinots of energy more than volume. That, married with Chardonnays mostly from the Cotes des Blancs (predominantly Chouilly, Vertus, Oiry and Cramant), results in a truly magical Grande Annee that will delight Champagne fans for several decades. I can't recommend the 2014 highly enough. It's a total knock-out. 98 points' - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, March 2022
When I first joined the wine trade, I had built up the (lazy) assumption that grower Champagnes must be the best. What could be better than owning all your vineyards? Surely doing all your own farming must produce the best outcomes? I have found this assumption challenged time and again, as my job has given me the privilege to taste my way through the best of what Grande Marque champagne has to offer. Naturally there is a big variation in Champagne houses; not all of them are as utterly driven in search of quality as, say, Bollinger. But a well-managed grande maison enjoys a flexibility a grower house might lack. For instance, at Bollinger, as well as their own (very well-sited) vineyards, they can adapt and vary their purchased fruit sources to suit the vintage. Champagne is a region built on independent grape growers who sell their fruit to the maisons; many of these growers would be insulted at the suggestion that they aren't every bit as committed to the quality of their fruit as a grower-maker house might be. And when I visited Bollinger I came away in awe of their commitment to every last detail in the vineyards they own, and in the winery, and in the cellar. (I also got lost in their cellars, but that's another story).
I'm with Galloni on 2014 Bollinger La Grande Annee. While I think of Bollinger Champagnes as typically powerful, perhaps broad, this one is a little different, very zippy straight out of the gates, kicking off with a rush of citrus and sherbet. It's all there underneath, though, the classic Bollinger depth: apricot, cereal, hazelnut. The UK allocation sold out to merchants within an hour, so we don't expect this to last. If you want some, stick up your hand quickly, or don't say we didn't warn you. /NT
Offered subject to confirmation; available imminently
