Bollinger 2015 La Grande Année Brut Champagne

The 2015 La Grande Année is a benchmark vintage for Bollinger’s prestige Champagne line—luxurious in texture, richly layered in flavour and built for extended cellaring. It combines power and finesse, offering immediate allure and long-term evolution in equal measure.

Origins & Craftsmanship

As Bollinger’s flagship vintage release, La Grande Année is only created in years when the house considers the crop exceptional. For 2015, the blend comprises approximately 60 % Pinot Noir and 40 % Chardonnay, sourced from 11 select crus, primarily from renowned villages like Aÿ, Verzenay and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (Pinot) and Chouilly and Avize (Chardonnay).
The entire base wine is fermented exclusively in old oak barrels, followed by author’s style vinification including malolactic fermentation. After bottling under natural cork, the wine matures on lees for around 7 years before disgorgement. The dosage is approximately 8 g/L, underscoring the house’s commitment to depth, structure and ageing potential.

Tasting Profile

Nose: Pale straw gold in appearance. Rich aromas of Mirabelle and greengage plums, baked apple, lemon-zest and white currants unfold, layered with brioche, toasted hazelnut and a gentle smokiness from the oak. Underneath lies subtle red-berry whispers—blackberry, blackcurrant—and notes of warm honey and almond skin.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied with polished mousse. The fruit spectrum includes baked pear, white peach, citrus peel (grapefruit and lemon), alongside exotic hints of mango and pineapple. Core minerality emerges—chalky stone and sea-air saline—while creamy oak texture and light vanilla integrate seamlessly.
Finish: Long, vibrant and elegantly dry. A refined saline thread plays through to the end as toasted almond, brioche crust and soft cocoa appear lingering beneath finely tuned acidity. The structure supports serious ageing—this is as worthy of cellar time as it is enjoyment now.

Quick Overview

Robert Parker 95+ Points: "The 2015 Brut La Grande Année was disgorged last year with eight grams per liter dosage. The wine has turned out beautifully, exhibiting a more muscular, old-school Bollinger profile in contrast to the unusually racy, fine-boned 2014 that preceded it. Wafting from the glass with notes of pear, orange oil and white flowers mingled with notions of mocha, toasted hazelnuts and fino sherry, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, with a dense core of fruit framed by chalky structuring extract, concluding with a long, sapid finish."