Bollinger 2013 Blanc de Noirs Champagne La Côte aux Enfants

The 2013 Blanc de Noirs “La Côte aux Enfants” is a powerful, Champagne of real gravitas — where Pinot-Noir intensity meets Champagne finesse in a compelling union. Dark-fruit depth, chalky minerality, brioche richness, and a refined mousse combine for a vintage that’s both immediate and age-worthy. With top-tier scores from the world’s most respected critics, this is a benchmark Blanc de Noirs built for cellaring or grand celebration.

Origins & Craftsmanship

This cuvée comes exclusively from the historic “La Côte aux Enfants” Grand Cru monopole in Aÿ, where steep chalk slopes and Pinot-Noir vines historically yield wines of exceptional structure and mineral character. The 2013 vintage — chosen for its ideal ripening conditions and vineyard quality — was vinified using the traditional méthode champenoise: bottle fermentation, extended aging on the lees, low dosage, and meticulous disgorgement. The result is a Blanc de Noirs that captures the pure expression of vineyard and vintage, with power and elegance in balance.

Critics Reviews & Scores

Across the three most influential Champagne and wine publications, this release is heralded as one of the great Blanc de Noirs of recent decades:

• Robert Parker (Wine Advocate): 97 / 100 — praised for a deep, concentrated core of fruit, pinpoint mousse, and a long, electric finish. The 2013 vintage is described as “one of the greatest hits from this vineyard,” combining energy, precision, and complexity.

• James Suckling: 99 / 100 — lauded for its richness and finesse, with aromas of pastry crust, chalk, sweet red berries, and a sustained mineral-laced finish. Many regard this as one of the top Champagne releases of the decade.

• Wine Spectator: 97 / 100 — applauded for its structural depth, dark fruit, saffron and nut complexity, and refined mousse. The vintage is highlighted for both drinkability now and long-term aging potential.

Viewed collectively, these scores underscore the wine’s exceptional quality, pedigree, and long-term prospects.

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Dark cherry, blackberry compote, and plum leather give way to toasted brioche, hazelnut pastry, crystallized citrus peel, beeswax, and chalky mineral undertones. With air, subtle notes of cocoa husk, forest floor, and saline minerality emerge.

Palate:
Full-bodied and richly textural. Waves of blackcurrant, baked plum, and dark cherry are layered over brioche crust, toasted almond, warm pastry spice, and flinty minerality. A fine, persistent mousse carries a tight spine of acidity, offering tension and lift. Mid-palate reveals hints of dried citrus, cocoa nibs, and fine tobacco-leaf earthiness.

Finish:
Long, taut, and mineral-driven. Lingering dark fruit, toasted nuts, crystallized gingerbread, and saline chalk fade slowly to a refined, lingering echo of citrus zest and mineral freshness. The mousse remains silky and lifted to the final sip.

Quick Overview

Why This Release Matters

The 2013 “La Côte aux Enfants” is a vivid example of what single-vineyard, single-vintage Blanc de Noirs can achieve: power, complexity, terroir expression, and age-worthy structure. Supported by world-class ratings from Parker, Suckling, and Wine Spectator, it ranks among the elite Champagnes of its generation — a wine that will reward both patient cellaring and thoughtful drinking today.