Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 2008

2008 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Annee

98+ WA

97 VM

Notes:

Bollinger's 2008 Grande Anne is rich, ample and full-bodied, with all of the pedigree of the vintage on display. Dried pear, dried flowers, chamomile, red plum and mint develop as the 2008 shows the breadth and creaminess that are such signatures of the Bollinger house style. A whole range of brighter, more floral and chalky notes appear later, adding translucence and energy. The 2008 is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay taken across 18 crus, and it is the Pinot that very much informs the wine in both flavor and texture. More importantly, the 2008 is one of the best Grande Annes I can remember tasting. Bollinger fans won't want to miss it. Disgorged November 2018. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Vinous/Galloni 97

When I was tasting Bollinger's brilliant Grande Anne in this vintage, I was trying to imagine how good the 2008 Extra-Brut R. D. would be, as the style of the vintage seems almost perfectly adapted to this cuve. Four years later, we have the answer, and the wine is brilliant. Disgorged in 2022, it's more reserved out of the gates than the dramatic Grande Anne was on release, unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, orange peel, freshly baked bread, subtle hints of fino sherry, wet stones and macadamia nut. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a deep core of fruit that's animated by racy acids and a refined pinpoint mousse, concluding with a bone-dry finish. Extremely harmonious and full of youthful energy, it's the finest R. D. of the decade and one that will richly reward a bit of additional age on cork. In style, the most obvious comparison is with the 1996, but the 2008 is more integrated and harmonious on release. These bottles were disgorged late last year with three grams per liter dosage. William Kelley 98+

Producer: Founded in 1829 in the Grand Cru village of Aÿ, Bollinger is one of Champagne's most historic and revered houses. Unlike many of the grandes marques, Bollinger owns more than 85% of the vineyards required for its production, an extraordinary level of estate ownership that ensures remarkable consistency and control over quality. The house is best known for its Pinot Noir-driven style, emphasizing richness, structure, and longevity. Fermentation in small, old oak barrels, extensive reserve wine libraries preserved in magnum under cork, and prolonged lees aging have become Bollinger hallmarks. La Grande Année is produced only in exceptional vintages, representing the purest expression of the house's uncompromising philosophy.

Vineyard: The 2008 La Grande Année is a blend of fruit sourced exclusively from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards across Champagne's finest villages. The final assemblage consists of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, with Pinot Noir primarily from Aÿ and Verzenay, complemented by Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, including Chouilly, Cramant, Oiry, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. The remarkable 2008 growing season combined exceptional ripeness with vibrant acidity, creating one of Champagne's greatest modern vintages. Chalk-rich soils and meticulous vineyard management contribute extraordinary precision, mineral tension, and the remarkable aging potential for which the vintage has become famous.

Winemaking: La Grande Année is fermented entirely in small, seasoned French oak barrels, a traditional practice that Bollinger has preserved for decades. Each cru is vinified separately before blending, allowing the individual character of every vineyard to be evaluated. The wine undergoes secondary fermentation in bottle and remains on its lees for more than nine years before disgorgement, far exceeding Champagne's minimum aging requirements. Every bottle is disgorged by hand and finished with an Extra Brut-style dosage of approximately 8 g/L, preserving freshness while complementing the wine's extraordinary depth. The 2008 also marks the first vintage bottled in Bollinger's narrower-necked "1846" bottle, designed to encourage slower evolution and even greater longevity.

Technical Details: Champagne AOC; 71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay; fruit sourced exclusively from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards; fermented entirely in old French oak barrels; over 9 years aging on the lees; hand disgorged; dosage approximately 8 g/L; bottled in Bollinger's proprietary "1846" bottle beginning with the 2008 vintage; exceptional aging potential of 30+ years.

Food Pairing: Butter-poached lobster, roasted turbot, Dover sole, veal with morel mushrooms, Bresse chicken, duck breast, truffle-infused dishes, aged Comté, Parmesan, and roasted poultry. The wine's layered aromas of citrus, orchard fruit, brioche, toasted hazelnuts, honeycomb, and chalky minerality make it equally compelling as an aperitif or alongside refined cuisine. While already remarkably expressive, the 2008 possesses the concentration and structure to continue evolving gracefully for decades, rewarding patient collectors with even greater complexity over time.

Vins Rare