Bollinger, La Grande Annee 2015

Bollinger's 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Dennis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There's real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.

The 2015 La Grande Année, disgorged in May 2024 with a dosage of eight grams per liter, continues to drink beautifully, emerging from the glass with a deep bouquet of yellow apple, dried apricot, nashi pear and toasted hazelnut mingled with dried flowers, freshly baked bread and a hint of sage. Medium- to full-bodied, the palate is layered and fleshy, underpinned by ample reserves of chalky structuring extract, and concludes with a long, saline finish. It is a considerable success in the vintage and a very classic Bollinger, a wine with real identity.

A bright silver/yellow color, the 2015 Champagne La Grande Annee Brut is a Pinot Noir-dominated blend with Chardonnay that was released in March of this year. This vintage offers decadence and a fleshy profile, with full-bodied richness and ripe notes of tangerine, apricot, almond, and fresh floral perfume. It speaks to the vintage's sunny nature, though without showing signs of oxidation or herbal notes. It was aged under cork for seven years before release. Tasted for a second time at my office in New York, it offers more immediacy, especially compared to the tension-driven focus of the 2014 release. However, it should also continue to improve over the next decade or more. Disgorged April 2024 with 7 grams per liter dosage. Drink over the coming 15 years.