The Bollinger house is writing a new chapter in its history in Champagne with the release of La Grande Année 2018 in Brut and Rosé versions.
The year 2018 will go down as one of the most memorable in recent Champagne history. The harvest began as early as August 23 in iconic crus such as Aÿ and Verzenay, revealing ripe and concentrated grapes.
A masterfully crafted vintage
Under these hot weather conditions, the challenge was to preserve freshness. Bollinger achieves this through a balance of ripeness and acidity, resulting in wines that could not be more expressive.
The Brut cuvée is composed of approximately 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay ; it comes from 19 selected crus and undergoes full vinification in oak barrels, followed by extended aging.
Available as a rosé, La Grande Année 2018 takes the blending concept even further: it is based on a similar blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay, enriched with 5% red wine from the iconic Côte aux Enfants vineyard.
This choice gives the wine a unique identity, marked by red fruit aromas and a pronounced, vinous structure. Vinification, faithful to the house’s traditions, takes place entirely in barrels, with extended aging under cork. The moderate dosage, around 7 grams per liter, helps preserve the wine’s tension and clarity.
At the heart of the Bollinger style
Since its founding, Bollinger has distinguished itself through a rare artisanal approach in Champagne : fermentation in oak barrels, extended aging on lees, and manual riddling contribute to the house’s signature style, built on the complexity and longevity of its wines.
La Grande Année thus embodies this standard : produced only in the best vintages, it faithfully reflects the character of a given year. The 2018 vintage is no exception, offering wines that are both approachable in their youth and promise remarkable aging potential.
Priced at approximately 215 euros for the Brut and 275 euros for the Rosé, these cuvées are thus positioned in the segment of fine dining champagnes.
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Featured photo : © Bollinger
