Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut

A polished palate of fine bubbles with pears, light bread dough and caramel undertones. Medium-bodied with pretty toasted-oak and vanilla flavors. Refined finish. Touch of quince and grapefruit with dried apples. Base wine 2021 plus nine different vintages. A blend of 61% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay and 14% pinot meunier. Drink now.

Like its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger's NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse, it's a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs.

Bready and appley – upholds every tradition of champagne, including a good level of dosage that gives honeyed ripeness to the finish. Long, sweetly spiced finish, with yeastiness making it like a cinnamon bun. Delicious!

Dominated, as always, by Pinot Noir and with wood fermentation and aging, this Champagne has a great poise between freshness and richness. It is intense and ripe, with apple and minerality coming together. The bottling is ready to drink.

Medium golden yellow with silver reflections and very fine, small-grained mousse. Nuances of yellow stone fruit, plums and oranges on the nose, with a hint of brioche, blossom honey and candied zest. Juicy and harmonious on the palate with a core of fine fruit sweetness, lively acid structure and a mineral-lemon finish. A balanced style with good length - more price-performance is difficult to imagine. 

A vibrant, graceful Champagne that shows fine definition and integration, with a mouthwatering frame of acidity. The persistent, lacy mousse is enmeshed with an appealing range of ripe and juicy black cherry and boysenberry fruit, blood orange granita, candied ginger and chopped almond flavors. Long and well-spiced on the chalky finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Drink now through 2035.

If it’s good enough for James Bond, it’s good enough for you. Bollinger Champagne has made a number of cameos in James Bond films over the year. This non-vintage Special Cuvée is an example of a classic Champagne done well. Notes of marzipan on the nose and the palate give toastiness and leesy notes, specifically sourdough. It’s classic for a reason and would only elevate any table it finds itself on.

A rich though youthful golden hue, the NV Champagne Special Cuvée Brut is classic and ripe with lush, rounded, and complex aromas of golden apricot, hazelnut, wet stone, and black cherry. Made with 45% of the wine coming from the 2019 vintage, with 55% reserve wine, it’s full-bodied yet elegant and light on its feet, with a ripe and luxurious feel and just a hint of warmth on the finish. The mousse is refined and rounded. Long on the palate, it's inviting now but will have plenty of life ahead of it if stored property. This exceptional cuvée with its distinctive personality continues to be one of the best entry wines to the range from this house and is a benchmark wine for them.

(60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier; 8 g/l dosage; L1403801): Pale yellow. Toasty aromas of apple and pear nectar are complemented by hints of toffee, honey and orange zest. Full and expansive on the palate, offering ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors and an undercurrent of smoky minerals and buttered toast. Smooth and gently spicy on the clinging, nicely focusd finish.