To gay Paree then aboard Eurostar. Monday morning 8.09. Heading to the first pouring of Bollinger La Grande Année 2015 and a lunch whipped up by up-coming two Michelin-star Alsatian chef Olivier Nasti.
Always a key tasting, La Grande Année is the name given, since 1976, to Bollinger’s vintage cuvée – a wine that is only made in the best years with six vintages bypassed since 2000 (Bollinger has missed 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013).
Philanthro-Lab, Paris - an auspicious setting for the launch of La Grande Année 2015
The event was held at Le Philanthro-Lab on Paris’ oldest street which is an historic building devoted to carpentry – a venue chosen by Bollinger to drum home one of the House’s two defining characteristics, that it still vinifies and ages in barrel.
Bollinger MD Charles-Armand de Belenet dedicated this “challenging vintage to the ‘grand canopy’,” refering to the 110 hectare family-owned forest in Favresse, Cuis where it sources the wood for its barrels, one of which he had brought along for the press event, along with a cooper whose workshop in Aÿ had been recreated here and a demonstration of his skills performed for the assembled throng.
The ’wood’ theme was painstakingly adhered to throughout the day with the lunch staged beneath a canopy comprised of 9,500 pieces of paper to resemble a forest and Nasti liberally weaving venison, champignon, nuts and fir tree into his specially-prepared menu. Guests even departed with a wood-smoke scented candle from Diptyque. The venue was also chosen because of a roof terrace which overlooks the wooden structure of Notre-Dame, although that wasn’t part of proceedings, the structure still cloaked heavily by scaffolding.
9,500 pieces of paper were used to recreate a forest setting for lunch
In previous press events Charles-Armand de Belenet has focused on the House’s use of Pinot Noir (almost a religion) which singles it out stylistically from competitors.
Combined, barrels and Pinot align Bollinger most closely with Burgundy where its sister estate Domaine Chanson has influenced Bollinger chef de caves’ – first the late-Gilles Descôtes and now Denis Bunner – with vinification techniques, particularly the use of 30% whole bunch in its Pinot to bring structure to the wine, a technique used since the 2015 vintage of its still red wine, the Coteaux Champenois called La Côte aux Enfants which is a standalone wine and forms 5% of the La Grande Année Rosé 2015.
La Grande Année 2015 - from a solar vintage
Want some? the new cuvée arrives
The wine was made from a solar vintage with the Pinot Noir rich and in need of balancing out which is why La Grande Année 2015 is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay which is the highest percentage of Chardonnay in the cuvée excepting 2014 and 2002 – normally the percentage split is 70%/30%.
Bollinger, like most Champagne Houses now, are at pains to stress the specificity of its terroirs, a trend we can expect to see develop in the future with more and more village and plot-specific cuvées in the making.
So for the La Grande Année 2015, the fruit was sourced from 11 crus: predominantly from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur Aÿ for the Pinot Noir; Chouilly and Avize for the Chardonnay, the selection coming from a smaller number of crus – there were 19 in the 2014 for example – 2015 being a vintage that required greater selection
The wine had its customary 100% barrel fermentation with a dosage of 8 grams per litre, the wine we sampled being disgorged in July 2023.
Lunch begins with the forest theme strictly adhered to. Here Horseradish and carrot cône
To taste, the wine is unmistakably Bollinger with a huge power – think Bollinger-squared. Where 2014 had a linear tension 2015 is rich, powerful and generous. La Grande Année 2015 is a vinous fizz, gastronomic and was tasted as an aperitif and also paired with a variety of foods.
To start with the wine is medium gold, fine bead. The nose is complex, powerful, clearly Bolly, yellow plum and savoury notes predominate – grilled almonds, a touch of solera perhaps. This wine has age. Vanilla wood and a hint of dried rose.
In the mouth the attaque is initially crisp, fresh, mineral, mouth-filling mousse that quickly fleshes out into a broad, ripe, intense palate, with a good deal of concentration, plums, a touch of red fruit, chalky, then finishing on a twist of citrus, crushed rock and saline. Fabulous wine. Big and bouncy.
Tasted alongside venison tartare with Osciètre caviar and a citrus ice with petals, the dish enhances the floral/ fruity components of the wine, and the salty finish. We then move to La Grande Année 2015 in magnum which is more reductive, closed, tense and more clearly showing the ageing potential of the wine.
The Magnum is tasted alongside Arctic char cooked with beeswax, vinaigrette, honey and fir oil.
We then move to the La Grande Année Rosé 2015 which is paired with sous vide loin of young deer, served with a quintet of purees (no starch added) – pine tree, mushroom, red fruits, white cheese and hazelnut and spatzlés in a bowl of fermented milk and hint of goats cheese.
This is a gastronomic rosé, textured, structured, ripe (but present) tannins with enough elbow room to stand alongside a gamey, complex dish with strong flavours, the milk in the spatzlés dish enhancing the lactic quality of the wine.
Fact finders! The wine is a blend of 62% Pinot Noir and 38% Chardonnay with fruit, like the La Grande Année 2015, sourced from 11 crus: principally from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur Aÿ for Pinot Noir; Chouilly and Avize for Chardonnay with 5% red wine added from La Côte aux Enfants. 100% barrel fermentation with a dosage of 7g/L.
To look at the wine is deep, pinkish-red. The nose offers red berries, blackberries, rhubarb. In the mouth the wine is structured with firm, ripe tannins, just ripe, fresh red berries. There’s a lovely texture here, palate-cleansing acidity, with a twist of blood orange on the finish. Impressive how it stands up to the powerful game flavours and complexity of the main course.
Olivier Nasti with his Arctic char "cooked with beeswax"
Lunch then proceeds with a mystery wine that turns out to be La Grande Année 1989 served in double magnum. The wine has been chosen because the Bollinger team believes it to be an indication of where La Grande Année 2015 is headed. It is served alongside a 28-month Comté and Tomme de brebis from Bernard Antony which is my wine pairing of the day, no reflection on the exceptional cusine of two Michelin-starred chef Olivier Nasti who has done wonders to reveal numerous nuances within the wines.
This pic really doesn't do dessert justice!
We close with Bollinger Special Cuvée served with a meringue shell of grilled chestnut ice cream and puree of Mikan mandarin which is the only mis-match of the day, the now warm La Grande Année 2015 proving a more robust foil.
And so back to London the same day with the Bollinger team set to stage a dinner for trade buyers. We had to content ourselves in Business Premier with a bottle of Spécial Cuvée. Nice for Bollinger to also lay on the company of Natalie Portman who was travelling alongside the UK contingent. Merci Charles-Armand and team Mentzendorff.
La Grande Année 2015 and La Grande Année Rosé 2015 will be launched on May 27, 2024. The wines are imported and sold in the UK through Mentzendorff which is a commercial partner of The Buyer. To discover more about them click here.
