La Grande Année 2012

Textured and Expressive

Vinified exclusively in barrels.

Riddled and disgorged by hand.

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Blend of the 2012 vintage

65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay.

21 crus: Mainly Aÿ and Verzenay for the Pinot Noir, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oiry for the Chardonnay.

Fermented entirely in barrels.

At Bollinger, only very high quality harvests become a vintage: the exceptional 2012 vintage led to Bollinger creating expressive wines that were simultaneously full, fresh and complex.

Maturation

Sealed with a natural cork and cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation.

Dosage

Moderate, 8 grammes per litre

To the eye
Its delicate colour and golden reflections are a sign of the wine’s maturity and Bollinger’s wine-making methods

To the nose

Full and expressive. Apricot, almond and hazelnut, followed by notes of honey and cereals intertwining in a symphony of aromas.

On the palate

Exceptional texture and structure. Dense, silky with a long finish.

Fresh and full with a delicious refined finish.

Scallops with sorrel and vanilla.

Grilled oyster, smoked butter and sea purslane.

Hen of the woods mushroom, potato emulsion and truffle.

La Grande Année 2012 is the perfect champagne for gourmet food. To fully appreciate its unique style and aromas, La Grande Année 2012 is best served between 8 and 10°C. You can enjoy La Grande Année 2012 now or choose to age it in your cellar.

La Grande Année is the embodiment of the carefully preserved traditional expertise of the Bollinger Champagne House. The wine is therefore exclusively vinified in small aged oak barrels. Champagne Bollinger has never abandoned this traditional craft method, which helps develop aromas of great finesse. After a prolonged ageing on its lees, even today every bottle of La Grande Année is riddled and disgorged by hand.

See previous vintage

La Grande Année 2005

The best of a vintage, in the purest House style

Bollinger’s prestige champagne is produced only when the harvest reaches a perfect balance: it is Bollinger’s version of an exceptional vintage.

production sensations pairings our advice history

Blend of the 2005 vintage

70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay 13 crus: mainly Aÿ and Verzenay for the Pinot Noir and Avize, Chouilly and Mesnil-sur-Oger for the Chardonnay - 95% Grands crus and 5% Premier crus Fermented entirely in barrels. At Bollinger, only very high quality harvests become vintage: 2005 was a temperate and generous year and revealed a champagne with a great aromatic ripeness

Maturation

Cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation

Dosage

Moderate, 6 grams per liter

To the eye
Its delicate colour and golden reflections are a sign of the wine’s maturity and Bollinger’s wine-making methods

To the nose

Great complexity; honey, gingerbread and cinnamon aromas; subtle notes of dried fruits (hazelnut) and dried flowers (lime blossom)

To the palate

A mature, supple and full wine with a long finish. Pastry, candied orange and ripe fruit flavours with subtle notes of woodland and vanilla A creamy effervescence; the subtle acidity of the finish adds freshness

Foie gras, fresh or pan-fried
Grilled fish, with or without sauce, lobster
Roast lamb or veal
Parmesan or Comté

La Grande Année 2005 is a must-have for gourmet restaurants and good hotels alike: it is the perfect champagne to serve with a fine meal. To fully appreciate its unique style, bouquet and aromas, La Grande Année 2005 is best served between 8 and 10°C. You can enjoy La Grande Année 2005 right away, or choose to age it in your cellar.

In 1976, Bollinger Vintage became Grande Année; then, in 2004, "La" Grande Année… A name simple enough to illustrate its exceptional status: because only truly extraordinary years become vintage at Bollinger. La Grande Année made its screen débuts two years later, in James Bond’s Casino Royale.

Champagne Bollinger - Maison Fondée en 1829