Richard Juhlin tasted New release – 2015 Bollinger ’La Côte aux Enfants’ as the first wine writer in the world. [read the full champagne story]
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
An exceptional champagne from La Côte aux Enfants, Aÿ Grand cru
The Côte aux Enfants Champagne cuvée cements Champagne Bollinger’s research on the many expressions of pinot noir. This single-plot approach is made possible thanks to the many studies conducted by Bollinger on the “La Côte aux Enfants” terroir since 1926.
By making a wine from this legendary parcel, Champagne Bollinger illustrates its precise mastery of pinot noir and complements its pinot noir range, alongside the PN cuvée and Vieilles Vignes Françaises.
A great champagne from a legendary parcel
Patiently rebuilt in the early 20th century by Jacques Bollinger, this plot, perched on a limestone hill on the outskirts of Aÿ, once belonged to over fifty owners. Aware of the potential of this plot or lieu-dit, Champagne Bollinger sought to make a great vintage champagne from 100% pinot noir grown on the north-west slope of the hill. This is a true showcase for the hidden side of La Côte aux Enfants.
Tasting note – Denis Bunner – chef de caves
2015 Bollinger ’La Côte aux Enfants’
96(93)p
100pn
TASTING NOTE Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin – ‘Many believe that the rare Champagne version of La Côte aux Enfants has replaced the red wine of the same name. This is incorrect. The south-facing slope that produces one of the most powerful Pinot Noir expressions Bollinger has at its disposal is still used for the red wine, but the hard and compact chalk on the west side produces wines of a completely different character and is made in vanishingly small quantities as a world-class Blanc de Noirs.
When Björnstierne and I tasted 2014 La Côte aux Enfants and Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises from the same vintage at Old Man Storr in Scotland, the late-harvest edition of La Côte aux Enfants was almost as rich and viscously powerful as the VVF.
Now that the wine came from a warm 2015 and the VVF emerged from the light year of 2016, I expected a heavily loaded behemoth, but instead I was greeted with the lightest and most finely tuned edition of Enfants to date. This is how terroir can control vintage character if the location has its own exceptional character, as is the case here. Not nearly as much “Right in your face” character as VVF, but an extremely sublime chalk reaking string quartet that elegantly passes all difficult passages with the light flapping of an Aurora butterfly’s wings. The intensity of the color and sparkling clarity suggest that we are dealing with a Blanc de Noirs. The aroma, however, has the same minerality as a Blanc de Blancs from Avize or Le Mesnil. Extremely fresh and cool bouquet of chalk, geranium, orange blossom, lemon and blood grape.
In the complexly structured taste, I find the same earthy notes as in the aroma. In addition to citrus and chalk-oriented mineral notes, there are also Gravenstein apple, gunpowder, oyster shell and a whole armada of maritime salt-splashed and salivating gastro elements. If, against all odds, you come across this rare treasure, promise me to wait until 2035 before drinking it.’
‘I am convinced that the mineral backbone the wine is built around will carry the fruit and the new layers of maturity with pride and reverence.’
Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin
