La Grande Année 2014

The wine in this vintage

After a mild spring and a cool, rainy August, the 2014 season in Champagne was rescued by a warm, dry September that delivered healthy, well-balanced fruit, with freshness and aromatic finesse as the hallmarks of the year. Bollinger La Grande Année 2014 captures this profile in a bright, crunchy style: citrus, white peach, flowers and a subtle note of toasted bread, supported by lively acidity and a delicate mousse. Pinot Noir lends body and depth without heaviness. Decanter rated it 97 points and Wine Spectator 96. It is a highly drinkable vintage already, yet it has the structure to keep developing in bottle 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

• 97 Decanter
• 96 Wine Spectator
• 95 Robert Parker

Technical details

Producer

Bollinger

Region

Champagne

Country

Francia

Type

Bollicine

Vintage

2014

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

96/100

Sizes

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

eWibe code

0090214