Bollinger Grande Annee Premier 2002

Winemaker's Notes:

“Extremely promising combination of the completeness and potential of the 2002 Champagne vintage and Bollinger's distinctive mushroomy perfume, full Pinot-dominated palate and dry finish. This should make great old bones and, thanks to 2002's power, is already much more approachable than many previous young vintage Bollingers. Notes of putty and, oddly, roast chicken(!). Complex, satisfying and extremely promising. To be launched in the UK early next year. Not heavy - just substantial." 19 points (of 20), Jancis Robinson MW, November 2010 “Very precise, taut, pithy, citrussy nose is complex with lovely fresh apple notes. The palate is concentrated, dense and structured with very fresh citrus fruit dominating at the moment. Still primary, with grapefruit pith freshness. Really pure and with plenty of potential for further development…94” Jamie Goode wineanorak.com "There is Champagne, and then there is 2002 Bollinger. This wine makes me dizzy, stammering in cross-eyed bliss. Taking a step back, the sustained chord of flavor comes into focus, revealing a limestone honey: scents of acacia, marzipan, apricot and golden citrus. Jamal Rayyis, one of our tasters with the broadest flavor library in his head, described the scent as loomi (dried lime) and dried apricot, as if walking into a Middle Eastern market. Flavor details aside, the wine’s richness softens the structural grandeur of the vintage, which is buoyed in a mineral bath of power. This will reward another ten or 20 years of age, and the bottles that remain will likely only feed the wine’s legend. ...98" W&S 09/12 "In contrast to the heightened expressiveness of the 2004 Grande Année Rosé this is actually quite restrained with discreet notes of green apple, pear and citrus peel. The delicious, intense and voluminous flavors enjoy a prominent effervescence that is almost foamy yet the bead is strikingly fine, all wrapped in a distinctly yeasty, dry and admirably complex finish that goes on and on. This too could be enjoyed now or held for a number of years to come depending on how much yeast character you like...93" BH 10/12