La Grande Année 2007

The wine in this vintage

An unusual season, 2007 brought a warm, early spring followed by a cool, grey summer and an early harvest that preserved acidity and freshness. In this context, Bollinger La Grande Année 2007 stands out for elegance and precision rather than sheer power: candied citrus, pear, white flowers and pastry blend with the forest-floor and spice nuances typical of the house's Pinot Noir. The palate is taut and saline, carried by a very fine mousse, and finishes long on dried fruit. Wine Spectator awarded it 94 points. It is already showing beautifully, with freshness and evolved complexity in balance, and it can be cellared with confidence for several more years.

The producer · Bollinger

Founded in Aÿ in 1829, Bollinger remains one of the very few great Champagne houses that is still independent and family-owned. Its modern identity bears the stamp of Madame Lily Bollinger, who ran the house from 1941 to 1971, famously cycling through the vineyards and instilling an uncompromising culture of quality. The house farms a substantial estate of its own, largely rated Grand and Premier Cru, with Pinot Noir from Aÿ, Verzenay and Bouzy as the backbone of its style. Tradition here is a working method rather than a slogan: a significant share of the wines is fermented in small, seasoned oak casks looked after by an in-house cooper, reserve wines are kept in magnums under cork, and lees ageing is long. The result is vinous, deep Champagne with an almost still-wine texture and the ability to age for decades. Its flagship cuvées, La Grande Année, R.D. and the rare Vieilles Vignes Françaises from ungrafted vines, are benchmarks for serious collectors.

Critics' scores

• 94 Wine Spectator
• 18.5/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Bollinger

Region

Champagne

Country

Francia

Type

Bollicine

Vintage

2007

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

94/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0090207