Article: Bollinger 2018
Bollinger 2018
I've been eagerly chasing my suppliers for the Bollinger La Grande Année 2018 ever since enjoying a bottle last month while in Épernay, it had literally just arrived at the shop the day before I purchased it. I can still recall the bright citrus notes on the nose, complemented by white peach and apricot as the Pinot Noir started to reveal itself. Impeccably balanced, with the citrus and mineral notes seamlessly integrating with the orchard fruit and white flower. A pleasure to drink now, but with plenty of spine and structure to warrant some time in the cellar.
La Grande Année 2018 is a blend of 19 crus, drawing the Pinot Noir (66%) mainly from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, while the Chardonnay (34%) comes from Chouilly and Cuis. Fermentation takes place entirely in oak barrels, and maturation occurs under cork as the wine ages on its lees for six years prior to disgorgement.
2018 was one of the wettest winters Champagne had ever experienced, followed by one of the warmest and driest summers, resulting in one of the earliest harvests on record. The fruit was pristine, plentiful and super-ripe. Gilles Descôtes, Bollinger's, described it as “the best” vintage of his life.
I'm not sure I'd go quite that far, but I will say the wine is exceptional.
Take advantage of some sharp pre-arrival pricing on the 2018 — this is a wine you want to own, and in quantity. Stock will be available to ship in the Fall.
Bollinger's 2018 La Grande Année is quite pretty and delicate. Floral and citrus notes are nicely lifted in a Grande Année that offers notable sensuality and grace. Hints of orchard fruit, chamomile, mint and chalk build through the mid-palate and into the taut, chiseled finish. There's plenty of energy and focus. More importantly, this is a fine effort in a year marked by high yields in Champagne. I would give this a few years in the cellar. The 2018 is 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay from 19 villages, 73% Grand Cru and 37% Premier Cru. The core villages are Ay, Verzenay and Mareuil for Pinot Noir and Avize, Chouilly and Cuis for the Chardonnay. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: March 2025
- Vinous Media, 96
Originating from a hot and dry growing season—particularly from mid-June onward—during which harvest began as early as August 23 and lasted for a full two weeks, Bollinger’s 2018 La Grande Année, composed of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, was disgorged in March 2025 with a dosage of six grams per liter. The wine has turned out very well in the vintage context, presenting—unsurprisingly—a broader and more succulent profile than the racy, fine-boned renditions of 2014 and 2008. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of peach, yellow apple, and orange peel mingled with freshly baked bread and mango, it is medium- to full-bodied, ample and textural, with a generous core of fruit, animated by a pillowy mousse and laden with ripe yet vibrant acidity, carrying through to a long finish. It is slightly more expressive in magnum format, though in either case, it will benefit from a few years of post-disgorgement aging to fully unwind.
- Wine Advocate, 94+
