La Grande Année Rosé - 2002
Bollinger
- Region
- France » Champagne AOC
- Type
- rose traditional sparkling, brut
- Producer
- Bollinger
- Vintage
- 2002
- Disgorged
- 2010-07
- On lees
- ~84 months
- Grapes
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
- Alcohol
- 12
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
Ratings
4.3·@101 Bar · Small Growers: 45 years past the revolution
This wine presents a delightful experience. Its profile is rich and varied, with baked apple and honey providing a sweet foundation, complemented by the unique addition of rhubarb. The savoury notes of sardines and tomato paste add an unusual but intriguing complexity, which is further enhanced by the freshness of red berries and the depth of Jerez's notes. The traditional dried fruit flavours of uzvar and a touch of caramel round out the bouquet.
The wine's acidity remains impressively vibrant despite its age, contributing to a well-structured palate. While it may be slightly past its prime, this does not detract significantly from its overall quality. The wine still manages to be wonderful, offering a complex and enjoyable experience.
Bollinger
Bollinger, a renowned French Champagne house, has been a symbol of luxury sparkling wines since its establishment in 1829 in Aÿ, France. Founded by Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Renaudin, and Jacques Bollinger, it remains one of the few independent Champagne houses, continuously managed by the Bollinger family since 1889. Bollinger's uniqueness lies in its deep roots in the Champagne region, dating back to 1585 with the Hennequin family. This storied history, coupled with their commitment to maintaining family management and independence, sets them apart in an industry increasingly dominated by large conglomerates.
Over the years, Bollinger has built its vineyards at the heart of the finest crus in Champagne. Champagne Bollinger’s 179 hectares of vines are made up of 85% Grand and Premier crus and are farmed by teams of growers across 7 separate vineyards: Aÿ, Avenay, Tauxières, Louvois and Verzenay for pinot noir, around the Montagne de Reims, Cuis for chardonnay on the Côte des Blancs and Champvoisy for meunier in the Vallée de la Marne.
Another of Bollinger’s distinctive features are two plots, the Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres, which have never succumbed to phylloxera. These ungrafted vines are entirely tended by hand and reproduced using a form of layering called provignage, thereby providing the means to preserve this extraordinary heritage from which the very exclusive Vieilles Vignes Françaises cuvée is produced.