Bollinger: an iconic Champagne House
The values of elegance and excellence have been advocated for almost two centuries by the Bollinger Champagne House. Affectionately nicknamed "Bolly," this house oversees a vineyard of 179 hectares of vines, located in the commune of Aÿ in the Marne department. Bollinger is one of the few estates to produce its own grapes for its blends. Pinot Noir is the signature grape variety and represents 60% of the vineyard's vines.
Since its origins in 1829, Bollinger has been driven by the desire to produce wines that express the identity of the great terroirs of Champagne with finesse and authenticity.
Great cuvées from illustrious terroirs
A vineyard in the heart of the Montagne de Reims
Bollinger's cuvées are renowned worldwide for their quality and finesse, and for the vineyards where they came from, established over the years in the heart of the greatest crus of the Champagne region. The Montagne de Reims is where the Bollinger Champagne House cultivates Pinot Noir, the emblematic grape variety of the Champagne region, on nearly 104 hectares of Grand and Premier Crus such as Aÿ, the historic vineyard, Tauxières, Louvois, Avenay and Verzenay.
Verzenay: an emblematic terroir
Verzenay is one of Bollinger's iconic terroirs and is a vineyard located in the north of the Montagne de Reims. Although the first vines were planted in 1952, this Champagne vineyard now covers an area of 19 hectares. This vineyard is exceptional by its exposure and its geographical location – and equally by the quality of its grapes. Indeed, the wines from Verzenay give the blend a rare depth and elegance. With a beautiful persistence, the finish delights with its suave salinity evoking the chalky soils of this illustrious Champagne terroir.
A Pinot Noir history that goes back almost two centuries
A historic grape variety with its origins in Burgundy
Mentioned as early as the 14th century under the name of Plant fin, Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties. Although it originated in the Burgundy vineyards, it is also one of the leading red grape varieties of the Champagne region, alongside Pinot Meunier.
Mostly planted on the Montagne de Reims and in the south of the Côte des Blancs, Pinot Noir is grown on limestone soils that give vivacity, roundness and a delicious fruity aromatic structure to a blend.
This grape variety, with its small berries, can be used as a base for blending but also as a single variety, thus giving rise to "Blanc de Noirs" champagnes. When tasted, Pinot Noir harmoniously combines finesse and elegance with a deliciously fruity structure.
A grape variety that reveals the identity of the House of Bollinger
Pinot Noir has been an integral part of Bollinger's identity for nearly two centuries, both in the vineyards and in the production of the company's champagnes, including its Blanc de Noirs. A demanding grape variety, Pinot Noir is the source of wines that require a prolonged ageing period to bring out all the aromatic potential, finesse and balance that are characteristic of Bollinger's signature cuvées. This grape variety is also used in the production of Bollinger Rosé.
Two cuvées paying tribute to Pinot Noir
In its constant quest for excellence, the Bollinger Champagne House has now added two illustrious Blancs de Noirs champagnes to its range, expressing with purity and refinement the aromatic expanse of Pinot Noir.
Vieilles Vignes Françaises: an exceptional cuvée
The standard of the house's quintessential quality, the Vieilles Vignes Françaises cuvée is a Brut champagne made from two plots (Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres) located in Aÿ, spared from phylloxera and where all the work is done exclusively by hand.
Dosed at 6g/L, this Brut champagne entices with its rich and complex nose as well as its generous palate drawing out to a saline finish.
PN: an encounter with the unique terroirs of the Montagne de Reims
Unveiled in 2020, the house's new Extra Brut champagne, called "Bollinger PN," is a refined invitation to discover a singular expression of Pinot Noir. Unveiled annually, each edition of this Blanc de Noirs champagne is in fact a free expression of a Montagne de Reims vintage and a base year. Produced from vineyards located in the communes of Verzenay, Avenay and Tauxières, PN Champagne (VZ for Verzenay and TX for Tauxières, depending on which terroir produced the majority of the blend in each edition) delights with its finesse, salinity and rare complexity.
With a dosage of 4 grams per litre, this Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut champagne harmoniously combines richness and vivacity.
