Sparkling

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia Moncada 67Wine.com | The current release of 67 Wine Somm Series Cava NV Brut is a blend of the three traditional grape varietals used to make Cava in the Penedes region of Catalonia :  Xarel.lo, Macabeo, Parellada.

Methode Traditionnelle (traditional method) and aged for 1 yr in the cellar after disgorgement.

Tasting Notes: Fresh and enticing with aromas of white peaches, brioche and white cranberries. Medium bodied with fine bubbles. The finish is refreshingly dry and clean.

Food Pairings: Perfect as an Aperitif or pair with an array of snacks, or your favorite dishes.

Our Professional Review

Somm Series Cava Brut Rose is made with 100% Garnacha. Traditional Method and aged a year in the cellar after disgorgement. Pale transparent pink hues. On the nose there's a bouquet of wild raspberries, cranberries and tangerine peel. Crisp and lively on the palate with a red-fruited spiced tinge. Refreshingly dry finish.

Food Pairings: Go against the grain and pair with a lovely Fruit tart.

- Oscar Garcia Moncada 

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia Moncada 67Wine.com  | 67 Wine Somm Series Cava Gran Reserva 2018 Guarda superior is a blend of the three white grape varietals traditionally used in El Penedes for the production of Cava: Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel.lo. 

The three grape varieties are fermented separately and the wine undergoes Traditional method production and then aged 48 months sur lattes.

Winemaker Description

Varieties: 70% of Xarel.lo, 20% of Macabeu and 10% of Parellada

The three grape varieties are fermented separately and then the wine do the second fermentation in the bottle like the method Champenoise in the CAVA aging more than 48 months.

Recommended Serving Temperature: 6oC

Aspect: Pale straw yellow in color. Brilliant appearance with constant release of fine bubbles forming a crown on the surface of the glass.

Aroma: Has the special aroma from the second fermentation in the bottle and evolution in the cellar. Extremely fine and fresh. An aroma from the ageing process that gives it a personality of its own like croissants, almonds, white fruit, salinity and minerality.

Taste: Still conserves the varietal flavors mingled with those of the ageing process to achieve a perfect balance. It is fine on the palate with a certain rejuvenating acidity producing a pleasant and extremely harmonious combination.
A fairly long finish in the mouth. The bubbles are very small and delicate and It’s very elegant.

Food and wine pairing:
It’s perfect with tapas, with sea food, fish, cheeses, chicken, white meat and dry desserts.

Winemaker Description 

Lovely salmon hue with fine bubbles. Notes of raspberry and strawberry red fruit.

Very fine and elegant aromatic palate.

Our Rosé de Saignée Brut is perfect with a fillet of lamb, Peking duck or served as a dessert wine with panna cotta.

Winemaker Description 

Straw yellow. Creamy mousse and delicate, long-lasting bead. Nose : Rich, with excellent fruit, releasing scents of yellow apple and peach, with notes of wisteria and acacia blossom.

Wonderful balance and elegance complement a pleasurably crisp spiciness. Palate : Delicious vein of acidity, displaying crisp, savoury mouthfeel. Generous, lingering flavours.

Expert Reviews 

James Suckling 93 Points |This is a fantastic NV Champagne with a fine, creamy texture of small barrels and a deep, layered palate with dried apple, hints of pie crust and bread dough. Tangy. Layered and powerful, yet fresh. Lovely Brut Champagne. Based on 2015. Chardonnay 50% pinot noir 25% and 25% pinot meunier

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Delicate hints of verbena and spice notes of ground anise and cardamom accent rich flavors of ripe yellow peach and raspberry fruit, with notes of chopped hazelnut, pickled ginger and preserved lemon. Firmed by chiseled acidity, this is finely meshed and mouthwatering, with a satiny mousse and creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.

Winemaker Description

The nose is moderately intense yet complex. The sweet pastry, biscuit and orchard fruit notes are followed and enhanced by hints of citrus, white flowers and fresh butter.The initial taste is clean: this is a very silky and sparkling wine whose sugar content works well with its body. There is a certain chalky minerality and the texture is smooth. It is characterful without being overbearing.The finish is crisp, with a slight mineral undertone, and long at 6 to 8 seconds. It leaves an excellently balanced acidic aftertaste, with a sugar component that is undeniably pleasing on the palate.

Expert Review 

The Tasting Panel 94 Points | Sunset-pink in the glass, this vivacious blend of 45% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, and 35% Pinot Meunier kicks off with scents of brioche, red currant, and Rome apple plus flashes of honey and white flowers. Cascading from a font of ripe acidity are fleshy flavors of nec- tarine and red plum as well as mandarin orange; an underlying stoniness reveals itself before a long finish of almond and orange rind.

James Suckling 93 Points | This is a fruitier rosé. Dry and layered with nice phenols, yet it’s lively. Full-bodied, creamy and relatively dry at the end. Not heavy, but agile. 46% chardonnay 20% pinot noir and 34% pinot meunier. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Description 

The robe is reminiscent of rose petals. The healthy effervescence builds to an attractive mousse. The initial aroma is fruity (strawberries and redcurrants) and floral (peonies). Wheat, biscuit and crème fraiche notes are detectable, as are hints of more roasted flavors. The initial taste is clean, and then opens up to a pleasant structured quality. There is real harmony to this wine, bolstered by fine acidity, light tannin notes and discrete sweetness. Because it sparkles enthusiastically, the texture goes from 'gentle' to 'firm' and back again. It is long and the finish is slightly smoky with mineral notes.

Winemaker Description

Being a classic modern vintage, this year is abundant in character. Golden apple and Anjou pear flavors influenced by Knudsen Vineyard fruit add to the natural weight and brightness, while vanilla and toasted cake crust sneak into the flavor mix, adding to the opulence of this blend.

Expert Rating

90 Points James Suckling | Fresh and floral nose with white stone fruit and lemony undertones. Medium-bodied with a foamy mousse and vivid acidity. Easy and refreshing. (2019). 

Expert Review

Tasting Panel 92 Points | Honeysuckle and gardenia make for sweet and delicate scents. The melting bubbles land gracefully, accentuating flavors of linen and orange cream. White rice and Asian pear dot the mid-palate, leading to a finish redolent of green apple. The liquid is as unique as the memorable packaging.

Winemaker Description 

The name "Avissi" comes from the delightful fizzy sound the bubbles make as they rise in the glass. This prosecco is brilliant straw-yellow in color with a fine and persistent perlage. The nose offers fragrant aromas of honeysuckle with refreshing flavors of green apple and ripe pear, with a clean, fresh and delicate finish. Serve well-chilled as an aperitif, or with lighter fare or fruit-based desserts. Mix with fresh ingredients for a signature sparkling wine cocktail or pair with take-out after work or all dressed up on a Saturday night. One bottle of Avissi Prosecco is 11% alcohol by volume. Life sparkles with Avissi!

Winemaker Desription

Every Barons de Rothschild Champagne has exceptional characteristics that make each unique and great. The  Barons de Rothschild Brut is aerial Champagne that is rich and complex. The blend uses three to four-year old Chardonnays and Pinots Noirs from the best land in Champagne.

This subtle blend produces a wine with fabulously fine bubbles, elegant golden colour and fine, delicate nuances of white fruit. Low dosage and at least six months’ time after disgorging gives this Champagne beautifully balanced structure on the palate that is highly appreciated when served as the aperitif or throughout the meal.

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 90 Points | A well-cut Champagne, with a fine bead, this offers a mouthwatering range of nectarine, salted almond, honeysuckle and biscuit flavors. Elegant, featuring a lightly spiced finish.

James Suckling 92 Points | Lots of bread-dough and dried-apple character with lemon undertones. Roasted-nut and bread-dough undertones. Fine bubbles. Medium to full body. Flavorful finish. Drink now. 

Winemaker Description

Sparkling Moscato at it's finest! It has a lovely sweetness that is balanced by fine bubbles and fresh acidity. Drink it chilled, on its own, or with whatever you're cooking for dinner!
  

Winemaker Description

This is a wonderful, slightly sparkling wine produced in the Veneto region of Italy. Its slightly fruity, creamy, dry quality make Bartenura Prosecco the perfect wine to accompany appetizers, pasta, and seafood dishes. It is best served chilled.

Winemaker Description 

Mevushal. Bartenura Prosecco Rosé is a semi-dry sparkling wine with fruity flavors, light effervescence, and a beautiful pink hue. It's the perfect celebratory wine and will pair beautifully with aperitifs and desserts.

Winemaker Description

78% Pinot Noir, 22% Pinot Meunier; Cuvée Initiation is the newest addition to the Déhu lineup. Made from Pinot Noir and his signature variety Pinot Meunier, which Benoît planted using massale selection of Pommard clone from Burgundy. Oak vinification and ageing, unfined and unfiltered, low dosage. The wines is zippy and round with a persistent finish.

Winemaker Description

For its 170th anniversary, Maison Besserat de Bellefon gave its cellar master, Cédric Thibault, the freedom to imagine an exceptional cuvée expressing the best of his style. Perfect for special occasions, this extraordinary champagne will pair perfectly with lobster or haddock.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | This limited-edition wine is a blend of grand cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Aged for 10 years in bottle, it is a steely, structured wine that brings sophistication to the white fruits and lively acidity. Drink now.  

Winemaker Description

Persistent mousse, with fine bubbles rising slowly. Pale salmon pink in color, with a shade of gold. A nose of red fruits and fresh pear. Delicate fruit on the palate, elegant, and showing great finesse. 

Expert Reviews 

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The NV Champagne Brut Rose is an attractive pale salmon hue, with a fresh perfume of wild strawberry, ripe peach, white and red flowers, a hint of tropical fruit, and grapefruit. The palate is rounded, with fruit up front and through the mid-palate, and it has a silky and fresh lift. There is a wonderful ease and drinkability to this wine, which delivers balance and finesse. Best after 2022.

93 Points James Suckling | Attractive salmon color with aromas of dried strawberries and lemons, as well as hints of flowers. Full-bodied with tight tension from the fine phenolics that run through the palate. Hints of white pepper, peaches and sliced green strawberries with some candied lemons, too. Always an excellent bottle. 40% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 30% pinot meunier. Drink now.

91 Points Decanter | Currently based on the 2016 harvest, this is floral and citrussy, showing a lithe, graceful balance. It’s a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier, with about 40% of reserve wine, and red wine accounts for 7% of the blend. Its delicate, subtly expansive flavours of raspberry and strawberry are enlivened by a tangerine-like acidity, and while it feels ripe and full in flavour on the palate, it never loses its sense of refinement and poise, finishing with detailed length and depth.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | A fine composition of red fruits and taut citrus, this Champagne is poised and fragrant with acidity and light tannins.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Delicate notes of yellow plum, marzipan, verbena and fleur de sel are set in this firm and finely meshed rosé Champagne. Creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 93 Points: Lovely aromas of raspberries, gingerbread, toast and honey on the nose. I like the generosity and concentration of flavor on the palate, with a medium body and soft, creamy bubbles. Long finish. 43% meunier, 29% chardonnay and 28% pinot noir, with over 50% reserve wines. Blend of 15 vintages, with percentages based on the 2020 vintage, back to 2006. Delicious now.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 91 Points: This blend of 43% Pinot Meunier, 29% Chardonnay and 28% Pinot Noir, with 71% vins de réserve and 10% perpetual reserve, the NV Brut Réserve offers up aromas of spring flowers, herbs, blossoms, lime and brioche. Medium to full-bodied, tense and precise, with a crystalline texture enhanced by bright acids, this is a long, delicate and ethereal Champagne. It matured 8% in barrels and 36 months on the lees in bottle, followed by six months after disgorgement with three grams per liter dosage.

Wine Enthusiast 92: This Champagne is a classic. The nonvintage wine shows real richness and depth. It is structured, open with a honeyed aroma and ripe, rounded white fruits.

Winemaker Notes

Expert Review

James Suckling 92 Points | Delicate nose of chopped apples, apricots, raspberries, grapefruit, salted almonds and praline. Lovely freshness with salty and zesty undertones plus a hint of five spice. It’s medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and a gentle mousse. Somewhat understated with a soft yet tangy energy. 100% meunier. 70% base wine from 2015, with 30% reserve wine from 2013. 64 months on lees; disgorged November 2021 with 2g/L dosage. Drink now.

Vinous 92 Points | The Extra Brut No.3 is the third release of Billecart’s new Meunier Champagne from vineyards in Leuvrigny, Damery and Venteuil. Bold and savory, the No.3 is done in a richer, more vinous style than most of the house’s other Champagnes. It’s an approach that works so well with Meunier. Apricot, dried herbs, chamomile, sage, mint, tangerine peel and floral-infused honey all develop in the glass. There is a bit of edginess in the texture, which suggests less than ideal ripening for the base year and/or dosage that is a touch low. For that reason, I would prefer to drink this on the earlier side. Disgorged: September 24, 2020. (Drink between 2022-2028).

Winemaker Description 

Billecart-Salmon takes you to the historic lands of Leuvrigny, Festigny and Venteuil in the heart of the Marne Valley. You will discover a new expression of Pinot Meunier.

The delicate floral notes and the sweetness of the fruity aromas of this unique single-varietal cuvée will brighten up your most beautiful moments of sharing.
Radiant and luminous visual pleasure, defining a golden yellow hue with soft silver reflections. 

Always with this cord of extremely fine bubbles and so well channeled in the center of the glass. In mouth A relief with a sensual texture where a certain gourmet fluidity sets in, evolving towards an infused and tasty fruit (white cherry, pineapple and yellow plums). The perfect sensation of an index of accomplished pleasure defining an aerial walk with a distinguished and refined sensory capacity.

With such a pretty finish that stretches towards white pepper and pretty acidulous yellow fruits. At nose Harmonious floral sensations (linden and grasses) associated with the summer scents of a freshly cut wheat field (cereals and stubble). It will awaken your senses to refined nuances ranging from crunchy fruit to citrus pulp. A very delicate set where the expression of Pinot Meunier is subtly revealed.

Expert Reviews

Antonio Galloni of Vinous writes 91 Points | The NV Brut Rosé (base 2020) is another wine that points to the progress Mathieu Roland-Billecart has made here in recent years. Pliant, creamy and super-expressive, this edition is striking. It has a good bit of textural richness and is fresher than the 2018 tasted alongside it. Of course, some of that may be as simple as time in bottle. Pomegranate and grapefruit are laced into the brisk, finely cut finish. This release is based on 2020, with 46% reserve wines back to 2014. Dosage is 4.7 grams per liter. Disgorged: second trimester 2023.  Drinking 2024 to 2030.

Tim Hewson of Decanter writes 92 Points | Based on the 2020 vintage, Billecart-Salmon's signature rosé appears to be on its finest form of recent years under cellar master Florent Nys, full of fragrant, crunchy redcurrant, red cherry and orange fruit with an alluring hibiscus-like floral lift and subtle green peppercorn spicing. The Meunier wraps the intensity of the vintage base in a little softness that keeps the focus on effortless ease (helped by the selection of delicate Chardonnays and young, fresh reserve wines), all adding up to a rosé of immediacy and charm, sweet-natured without sweetness and fragrant without overt fruitiness. 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier.  Drinking 2024 to 2027.

Winemaker Description

Its pale and bright pink colour is adorned with warm glints of gold and its delicate slowly rising bubbles give it a persistent mousse. This cuvée unveils a subtle aroma leading to an elegant, delicate bouquet of fine notes of red fruits and zest of citrus fruits. Its special method of vinification gives this cuvée a light, elegant flavour, followed by a fresh finish with a taste of raspberry.This rosé champagne is an ideal partner as an aperitif and can also accompany a dish of wild salmon or sushi. For dessert, it will add a sublime touch to red fruit flavours. 

Expert Reviews

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | Such an elegant, ethereal wine, this orange-pink wine is dry and crisp with fruity raspberry flavor at the fore. This particular bottling could improve for a year, but makes a great food Champagne now.

James Suckling 94 Points | An subtle nose with plenty of fine autolysis aromas of fresh bread and sweetly fragrant yeasty notes, plus some gentle spice and chalky notes. The palate unleashes beautiful wild strawberry fruit flavors, super fresh, fleshy and pure. Great balance and depth. Drink now. 

Expert Reviews 

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The NV Champagne Brut Rose is an attractive pale salmon hue, with a fresh perfume of wild strawberry, ripe peach, white and red flowers, a hint of tropical fruit, and grapefruit. The palate is rounded, with fruit up front and through the mid-palate, and it has a silky and fresh lift. There is a wonderful ease and drinkability to this wine, which delivers balance and finesse. Best after 2022.

93 Points James Suckling | Attractive salmon color with aromas of dried strawberries and lemons, as well as hints of flowers. Full-bodied with tight tension from the fine phenolics that run through the palate. Hints of white pepper, peaches and sliced green strawberries with some candied lemons, too. Always an excellent bottle. 40% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 30% pinot meunier. Drink now.

91 Points Decanter | Currently based on the 2016 harvest, this is floral and citrussy, showing a lithe, graceful balance. It’s a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier, with about 40% of reserve wine, and red wine accounts for 7% of the blend. Its delicate, subtly expansive flavours of raspberry and strawberry are enlivened by a tangerine-like acidity, and while it feels ripe and full in flavour on the palate, it never loses its sense of refinement and poise, finishing with detailed length and depth.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | A fine composition of red fruits and taut citrus, this Champagne is poised and fragrant with acidity and light tannins.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Delicate notes of yellow plum, marzipan, verbena and fleur de sel are set in this firm and finely meshed rosé Champagne. Creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now.

Persistent mousse, with fine bubbles rising slowly. Pale salmon pink in color, with a shade of gold. A nose of red fruits and fresh pear. Delicate fruit on the palate, elegant, and showing great finesse. Winemaker Description. 

Wine Advocate 97+ Points | Disgorged with seven grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is one of the finest wines I've tasted from Billecart in recent years. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of peach, mandarin oil, warm bread, red berries and petals, it's full-bodied, deep and vinous, with lovely mid-palate amplitude, terrific concentration and bright girdling acids. In what is quite a tightly wound vintage and from a house whose style is rather understated, this is a dramatic, fleshy wine that concludes with a long, flavorful finish. Drink 2022 - 2048.

James Suckling 98 Points | This is very vinous with aromas of iron, strawberries, old roses and geraniums. So aromatic. Full-bodied, really intense and layered with super dryness and depth. Lots of saline and spicy character at the end, such as clove and pepper, as well as hints of flowers and melted butter. Strawberry tart at the end. 17% in aged oak casks. Blend of 55% pinot noir from six villages (Mareuil sur Ay, Ay, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzenay and Verzy) and 45% chardonnay from three Grand Crus (Mesnil sur Oger, Cramant and Chouilly). 9% of the blend is red wine from a parcel in the village of Mareuil sur Ay. Bottled June 2009 and disgorged July 2019. Drink or hold.

Vinous 97+ Points | The 2008 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon explodes from the glass with a mesmerizing array of aromas, flavors and textures. Blood orange, cinnamon, mint and dried flowers. The 2008 is incredibly young, but it is also incredibly tempting. Patience will be rewarded. In the meantime, readers might enjoy adding a few bottles of the stellar 2007 to their cellars, as the nervy, taut 2008 needs time. The 2008 is 55% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ, Verzy, Verzenay and Mareuil) and 45% Chardonnay (from Chouilly, Avize and Cramant), with 9% still wine from Mareuil. It is the first vintage that includes a portion of wines (17%) done in barrel and the first vintage in which the magnums were aged on the cork rather than on crown seal. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Drink 2028 - 2043.

98 Points Decanter | A superb vintage of this renowned prestige cuvée, this is made from a base of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, to which is added 9% of red wine. Despite ageing on its lees for 10 years, it remains almost shockingly youthful, its vividly primary flavours of red cherry, strawberry and nectarine wrapped up in a taut, tense frame. It’s silky in texture and intricately complex on the long, elegantly harmonious finish, underlined by a saline chalkiness, and it demonstrates all the requisite completeness and character for long ageing, promising a slow and dignified evolution to come. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.

Billecart-Salmon's rare and highly sought after "Elisabeth" Brut Rosé, a blend of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, is made only in exceptional vintages, called millésimes. It was created in 1988 as a tribute to co-founder Elisabeth Salmon. A luminous visual presence with soft shimmering coppery reflections and a deep salmon pink hue. A refreshing and sensual sensory expression of citrus peels and red berry jelly, with the exquisite sensation of a rich and complex aromatic amplitude (Plougastel strawberry, Mara des Bois and vine peach). Beautifully refined and mature olfactory notes, releasing a distinctive perfume of scented soft spices and wild rasberry pulp. Harmonious blossoming of gourmet flavors (tangerine, blood orange and Reinette apple tart). A fullbodied and layered mouthfeel, evolving towards a chalky edge and a lingering finish of citron zest and red and white currants.

Blend: 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay,

This great wine is endowed with great finesse and delicacy, its personality shining through textures and flavors. An aromatic charm coupled with a rare mineral dimension, ideally paired with poulet de Bresse or Breton langoustines royales. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description 

Blanca Cusiné: The traditional Xarel·lo variety is "connected" with two historical varieties of the quad-sparkling wines used in the world of the Khadonnay and Pinot Noir. Wine made by the traditional method of sparkling wine is aged with yeast for 80 months.

Blanca Cusiné: The traditional Xarel·lo variety is "connected" with two historical varieties of the quad-sparkling wines used in the world of the Khadonnay and Pinot Noir. Wine made by the traditional method of sparkling wine is aged with yeast for 80 months.

It refreshes, offering a delicate friendship of the tastes of yellow plums, toast, grated ginger and orange peel.

Winemaker Description

Frank on the palate with tastes developed in the bottle. Good body. Smooth and silky, the carbonic content keeps it fresh and lively, providing a long finish. 

Winemaker Description

It is very full in the mouth with a splendid bubbly sensation that fills the whole palate. Red fruit also appears, even more markedly in the nose. Long finish and great elegance. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

James Suckling 96 Points | Enticing, fragrant aromas of toast, lemon zest and an earthy-smoky nuance lead to a palate of subtle Bosc-pear, mango, papaya, even pineapple flavors. Lifted by fresh acidity on the medium-bodied palate, the wine keeps unfolding in toasted walnuts, honey and a dash of bitter marmalade. It’s mouth-filling, alive with acidity and full of finesse.

Wine Spectator 96 Points | This expressive Champagne features a rich, well-spiced range of flavors chiseled by well-honed, integrated acidity, which lends a racy feel to the ripe black cherry and mulberry fruit and notes of salted almond, pink grapefruit granita, crystallized honey and pickled ginger that ride the raw silk–like mousse. Hints of chalk and spring blossoms play on the clean-cut, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Vinous 96 Points | Bollinger's 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Denis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There's real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.

The Wine Advocate 95+ Points | The 2015 Brut La Grande Année was disgorged last year with eight grams per liter dosage. The wine has turned out beautifully, exhibiting a more muscular, old-school Bollinger profile in contrast to the unusually racy, fine-boned 2014 that preceded it. Wafting from the glass with notes of pear, orange oil and white flowers mingled with notions of mocha, toasted hazelnuts and fino sherry, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, with a dense core of fruit framed by chalky structuring extract, concluding with a long, sapid finish. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2014 

Vinous 98 Points | Bollinger’s 2014 La Grande Année is a great way to start the evening as guests mill around Wheeler Farms. It is early evening in Napa, but there is still plenty of action in the winery, where various lots are being pressed under the watchful eye of winemaker Nigel Kinsman. There are some moments where I would very much like to be a civilian, a regular person enjoying the night, but I am more concerned with our guests having a great night, so I quickly go back to check on our wines. The Bollinger 2014 is everything I expected; bright, focused and full of all the energy this late-ripening vintage conferred to the best wines. 

Producer Description 

La Grande Année: The Great Year. This Champagne is the embodiment of everything that makes Bollinger the producer that stands apart in Champagne. La Grande Année symbolizes the word “hand-crafted” so strongly that an overused word suddenly becomes the appropriate definition. 

La Grande Année is only produced in the most outstanding of vintages, where ripeness and acidity reach a perfect balance and aging potential is excellent.

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 97 Points |  Like a racing spinnaker, this is tightly trimmed yet voluminous in character. Toasty notes of roasted almond and vanilla wafer are deftly integrated with sun-dried black cherry, baked peach, blood orange sorbet and candied ginger flavors, all well-defined by racy acidity and a subtle streak of salinity. This is long and fragrant, with pain d'épices, graphite and tea rose notes playing on the finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged February 2024. Drink now through 2040.

William Kelley of the Wine Advocate writes 96 Points | Bollinger's 2015 Brut La Grande Année Rosé was disgorged in May last year with seven grams per liter dosage. Offering up deep aromas of orchard fruits, blood orange, mandarin rind and peach mingled with nuances of coffee, praline and fino sherry, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and layered, with a broad attack that segues into a vinous palate framed by high levels of structuring dry extract that makes its presence felt on the sapid, nutty and penetrating finish. Given the skin maturity and inherent structure of the year, the Bollinger team elected to include only 4.5% of still red wine in the blend, a comparatively low percentage.

Expert Reviews

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | (Tasting Date November 17, 2023) |  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.

James Suckling 93 Points |  (Reviewed August 7, 2023) Lovely density and a fine-bubble texture. Dried apple and apricot with hints of dried flowers. Medium to full body. with medium-rich fruit. Spice, zest and ginger character. Usually 10% in barrel. 60% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay and 15% pinot meunier. About 40% reserve wine kept in magnums. Always really well done. Drink now.

Decanter 95 Points | 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. 

Jancis Robinson 17/20 Points (Tasted October 14, 2022) |  Look out for that lot code, as this is a particularly stunning rendition of Bollinger, almost certainly improved with the bottling in magnum. Very fine texture, quite deeply coloured, remarkably fine mousse. Savoury, biscuity notes on the palate. Great length – a lovely example.  - Jancis Robinson 17

Robert Parker 92 Points |  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.  Drinking 2021 - 2025.