x
  • Country ranking ?

    838
  • Producer ranking ?

    38
  • Decanting time

    No
  • When to drink

    2020-2035
  • Food Pairing

    Seafood, Salads & Consommes

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The Story

La Grande Année is the very embodiment of an exceptional, timeless champagne. Artisanal savoir-faire is at the heart of its production. One such artisanal technique is vinification, which takes place in oak barrels that are around 20 years old. This helps the wine develop complex aromas, and, thanks to micro-oxygenation, lends an extraordinary ageing potential. These 4,000 barrels are housed and maintained in the Champagne Bollinger Cooperage. Bollinger is the only Champagne House to have a resident cooper. 

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 contribute to making La Grande Année a truly hand-crafted wine.

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Vintage 1996

Up to this point 1996 has been considered a fantastic vintage which produced classic wines; the best since 1990. A long, dry summer produced grapes of record ripeness with record acidity. Some, including myself, question how the 1996s are aging. The wines are generally characterized by a distinctive rather lemony acidity and very good attack, but some wines now seem terribly austere, while others already seem dangerously short of fruit. None of the subsequent vintages are quite as distinctive as 1996, which in the more successful cases should almost certainly be drunk after the 1999s.

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Tasting note

color

Full, Yellow and Pale

ending

Medium and Acidic

nose

Intense and Refined

recommend

Yes

taste

High in Acidity, Balanced, Medium-bodied, Elegant and Fruity

Verdict

Impressive

Written Notes

In many respects the wine is reminiscent of the critically acclaimed '90 with its exotically rich fruit and a timbre somewhat less masculine than in the more classic vintages. Nor does one find the Krug-like elegance that the '95 displays. But that could very well prove to be compensated for with the fantastically high acidity. A magnificent, powerful wine in all respects, which breathes more and more greatness every time I open a new bottle.
  • 94p
Deep golden colour. Wax and hiney and earthy, sherry barrel. Sinapin siemen. Full, intense cloying, prononeds, mouthfilling. Velvety.
  • 92p
Bottle in excellent condition. Looking yellow and pale. Intense on the nose. The taste is fruity, high in acidity, balanced and medium-bodied. Acidic. Recommended. Impressive. Costs about 100-200€ per bottle. Good value for money.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 94p
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Information

Origin

Ay, Champagne

Other wines from this producer

B13 Blanc de Noirs

Bollinger Collection

Bollinger Special Cuvée

Coteaux Champenois La Côte aux Enfants

La Côte aux Enfants

La Grande Année rosé

PN TX 17

PN VZ15

PNVZ16

R.D. Bollinger

RD Collection

Rosé

Special Cuvée

Verzenay Réserve

Vieilles Vignes Françaises

Vieilles Vignes Francaises Collection

Vins Clairs Cramant Vinifié en Fût

Vintage Champagne

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