Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV 15L

Product Description: Bollinger Special Cuvée is the brand’s raison d’être. In 1911, Georges Bollinger’s British agent suggested swapping the full designation of “brut sans année” for the English word “special” to better convey this Champagne’s outstanding qualities – and a star was born. For over a century, connoisseurs have returned to Bollinger Special Cuvée for its subtlety, consistency, and the glamour it brings to everyday occasions. A delicate mix of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier grapes, Special Cuvée is cellar-aged for double the length required by appellation regulations. It’s equally delectable when enjoyed on its own, mixed into a mimosa or paired with seafood, full-bodied cheeses or richer meats like venison or beef. Bollinger Special Cuvée is the label of choice for spoiling loved ones who enjoy the finer things in life. To enhance its unique style, bouquet and aromas, Special Cuvée is best served between 8 and 10°C. You can enjoy Special Cuvée right away in a flute to conserve its effervescence, in a coupe to allow its flavours to develop, or choose to age it in your cellar. 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier. Over 85% Grands and Premiers crus. Exclusive use of the cuvée. The Maker: For almost two hundred years, Champagne Bollinger has been making powerful, refined and complex wines that express the aromas of fruit in all its dimensions. In 1829, Athanase de Villermont’s vast estate just outside the town of Äy provided the backdrop for the founding of an extraordinary Champagne house – but as an aristocrat, Athanese was forbidden from engaging in commercial trade. With the recruitment of Joseph “Jacques” Bollinger, a Champagne merchant, and Paul Renaudin, a Champernois fascinated by the world of wine, the Bollinger legacy began. The Bollinger style is inimitable and recognised as such by great connoisseurs. It possesses a dense and subtle presence: a balance of the intensity of great Pinot Noirs and the freshness of Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs. The house’s offerings are rooted in 5 tangible principles: the vineyards; Pinot Noir; magnums of reserve wines; the barrels, and time. Bollinger wines release a creamy effervescence resulting from vinifying in oak barrels and prolonged contact with the yeasts. Every tasting yields new delights that are guaranteed to transport you. The Vineyard: Bollinger has built its vineyards at the heart of the finest crus in Champagne. 180 hectares of vines are made up of 85% Grand and Premier crus and are farmed by our teams of growers across 7 separate vineyards: Aÿ, Avenay, Tauxières, Louvois and Verzenay for Pinot Noir; the Montagne de Reims, Cuis for Chardonnay; and the Côte des Blancs and Champvoisy for Meunier. Another of Bollinger’s distinctive features are the two plots of Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres. There, ungrafted vines are entirely tended by hand and reproduced using a form of layering called provignage, preserving the extraordinary heritage from which the Vieilles Vignes Françaises cuvée is produced. Pinot Noir is the varietal on which Bollinger has staked its reputation. A demanding grape that requires care at every step, it remains front and centre because of the incomparable finesse it brings to a wine. Today, the Pinot Noir planted around the Montagne de Reims represents over 60% of the Bollinger vineyards. This also just happens to be the exact proportion it occupies in Special Cuvée! Multi-faceted and surprising, its unusually high ratio in the blends is a signature of the Bollinger style, to which it lends power, body and vinosity. It has been one of the founding principles of Champagne Bollinger’s identity from the very beginning. Bollinger is guided by a responsibility anchored in time and a commitment to people, the earth and our roots. It is committed to the well-being of its teams, preserving biodiversity, and reducing the brand’s carbon footprint. Tasting Notes: NOSE Powerful, complex, red fruits The beauty of ripe fruit and spicy aromas; hints of roasted apples, compote and peaches. PALATE Lush, enveloping, creamy A subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity; bubbles like velvet; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut. FINISH Dry, mineral, petrichor Mellow and refreshing, punctuated by a crisp bite derived from its Chardonnay component. Reviews + Accolades: “… this iconic non-vintage cuvée is dominated by Pinot Noir that gives impressive richness as well as ripe stone fruits. Wood fermentation adds further complexity as does the age of this bottling before release. Drink this Champagne now.” – Wine Enthusiast The Finer Details Style