A showcase Blanc de Noirs cuvee
Showy, charming, full of verve; crisp and precise on the palate. It's very Pinot, with aromas of jasmine, strawberry and nougat, and a persistent, saline finish with complexing notes of wet stone and white pepper. It is the second iteration of Bollinger's new Blanc de Noirs cuvee, codename: PN VZ16.
Bollinger like to say that Pinot Noir is the pillar of their style. Everything in their range is at least 60% Pinot Noir, even Special Cuvee (the classic NV release). That accounts for the generous fleshiness and fruitiness, set against Chardonnay's structure and strictness, which has always made Special Cuvee so appealing. Champagne has always been a region of small growers working alongside big houses, and all the big houses depend to some extent on bought-in fruit; but Bollinger also owns some fabulous Pinot Noir vineyards. It seemed only natural to launch a Blanc de Noirs cuvee to showcase these.
At first sight PN VZ16 looks more like a product code than a name, but it gives you the champagne in cipher. PN is of course Pinot Noir. VZ is Verzenay, the grand cru village where most of the fruit has come from. 16 is 2016, a particularly good Pinot Noir vintage in Champagne. The base wine for this cuvee is 2016, with reserve wines (which go back as far as 2006, and which have been aged in magnum in the Bollinger way) bringing extra depth and complexity. /NT
'Soft, open-knit and wonderfully inviting PN VZ 16 is a worthy follow up to the sublime 2015 that launched this new Blanc de Noirs in the Bollinger range last year. Sweet red cherry, Mirabelle, spice, mint and dried flowers all grace this wonderfully translucent, expressive Blanc de Noirs. North-facing sites in Verzenay that confer tension and energy make up about half the blend, with wines from Aÿ, Bouzy and Louvois playing supporting roles. Vinification is done in equal parts steel and oak. This release is based on 2016 (50% of the blend), with reserve wines that go back to 2006, including 23% from reserve magnums. Readers who enjoy Blanc de Noirs will adore the PN VZ 16. I find the interplay of vibrancy and the creamier notes that are so typical of the house style to be incredibly appealing.' 93 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, March 2021
Offered subject to confirmation; available imminently
