Decanter awarded Bollinger PN VZ16 a 95pt score and published a feature introducing the second release of Bollinger’s new cuvée PN, which stands for Pinot Noir. The release “has been highly anticipated after PN VZ 15 was well received by critics last year.” Writer Yohan Castaing described this ongoing series as “an annual treat for lovers of Pinot Noir-based Champagne.”
Comparing the first and second releases, he adds context. “The initial bottling of this Blanc de Noirs Champagne featured the terroir of Verzenay after a competition among the in-house experts that was, in the end, won by cellar master Gilles Descôtes.” Continuing, “for the new release, however, the rules of play changed – it became more of a contest between blends that highlighted different crus, including Verzenay, Aÿ, Bussières and Bouzy. Once again, it was the Verzenay-dominated blend that triumphed.”
The story shares several winemaking details and context about the 2016 harvest season and the breakdown of the Pinot Noir fruit (47% Pinot Noir fruit from Verzenay, from three different years, with 2016 as the base wine supplemented by wine from 2015 and from reserve magnums of 2006). As for the tasting experience, the wine offers “plenty of concentration and impressive freshness and balance, with expressive green apple fruit accented with notes of toast and smoke and a creamy, supple, and open texture.”
“This new perennial cuvée illustrates a strong trend in Champagne: highlighting the terroirs while respecting the fundamentals of the house style.” Read the full story HERE
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Champagne Bollinger
Champagne Bollinger PN VZ16
Champagne, France
PN, made entirely from Pinot Noir to underscore the very essence and DNA of the House style, is the first new cuvée added to Bollinger’s permanent range since rosé in 2008. Each release of PN, developed as a series to bring Bollinger’s unique vision of Pinot Noir to light, will showcase a different cru from the base year that highlights its distinctive terroir and taste. The second edition of the series, PN VZ16, explores the interpretation of Pinot Noir from Verzenay 2016 and features reserve wines dating back to 2006.
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Champagne Bollinger
Champagne, France
Bollinger is one of the rare Grande Marques that’s still family owned. Known for its rich, elegant and polished style of Champagne, their outstanding wines are the result of rigorous attention to detail and incredibly labor-intensive practices that few houses are willing to undertake. Underscoring its excellence, Bollinger has remained British secret agent James Bond's Champagne of choice since 1973.