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  • Country ranking ?

    522
  • Producer ranking ?

    15
  • Decanting time

    No
  • When to drink

    2020-2035
  • Food Pairing

    Seafood, Salads & Consommes

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The Story

Destroyed at the dawn of the 20th century by the infamous phylloxera vastatrix, all the Champagne region’s vines had to be replanted with American rootstocks that were resistant to the destructive insect.

All of them? Not quite... In Aÿ, two Bollinger plots classified Grand cru, the “Chaudes Terres” and “Clos St Jacques”, were miraculously spared by the phylloxera. From these vines cultivated using traditional methods, planted “en foule” (w...

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Wine Information

Bathed in golden morning sun of Champagne, three diminutive Pinot Noir plots are under the exacting scrutiny of vineyard workers. The plots, surrounded by stone walls, have been given special attention for over one hundred years. These are the only ungrafted vines in nearly all of Champagne that have managed to escape the ravages of phylloxera decade after decade. It is on this morning that the vineyard workers have discovered a fateful probl...

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Vintage 1990

Three excellent vintages in Champagne were 1988, 1989 and 1990. Initially, many considered 1990 the finest of the trio, but that mantle has since passed to 1988. Some of the 1990 champagnes have evolved more quickly than anticipated, and there can be variation among bottles and producers. Winter and early spring saw warm weather that resulted in an early bud-break, making vines susceptible to the spring frost which duly arrived in April. This ...

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Tasting note

color

Full

ending

Long

flavors

Mushrooms

nose

Complex and Opulent

recommend

Yes

taste

Balanced, Multi-dimensional, Well-structured, Rich and Full

Written Notes

The 1990 Vieilles Vignes Francaises came from the Clos Saint-Jacques, Chaudes Terres and Croix Rouges plots cultivated in the ancient layering method. The production process follows the regular Bollinger pattern with only the cuvee being utilised followed by fermentation in old 4 to 40 year old oak barrels or inox. The wine is regularly chaptalised and goes through the softening malo-lactic fermentation. During its 6-7 month stay in barrel the wine is racked twice but no battonage is carried out. After bottling in April the second fermentation takes place in 10-11°C over a long period of time. Regularly a bottle of VVF spends 5-12 years in the Bollinger cellars before being discorged. The dosage of 7-9 g/l brings harmony to this special wine, which gets to rest for a further 3 months in the cellar after recorking. This recipe created yet another successful VVF in 1990: Deep, yellow colour turning into gold. Vivid, rich and powerful wine with complex aromas of mushrooms, autumn apples and brioche. Extremely intense, firm and rich mouth-feel. Full-bodied and balanced wine with enormous length. Starting to open up but will give its best after ten years.
  • 97p
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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

La Grande Année rosé

PN TX 17

PN VZ15

PNVZ16

R.D. Bollinger

RD Collection

Rosé

Special Cuvée

Verzenay Réserve

Vieilles Vignes Francaises Collection

Vins Clairs Cramant Vinifié en Fût

Vintage Champagne

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