Bollinger Releases La Grande Année 2018

Champagne Bollinger has introduced La Grande Année 2018, a vintage cuvée that the house says reflects its long-standing focus on craftsmanship, precision and aging potential. The release comes from Bollinger, the family-owned Champagne house founded in 1829 in Aÿ, France, and is made only in years the cellar team considers exceptional.

The 2018 blend is built from 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, with fruit drawn exclusively from Grands and Premiers Crus, including Aÿ and Verzenay. Bollinger said the wine was vinified entirely in small used oak barrels, averaging about 20 years old, a method that remains uncommon in Champagne. The house said the approach encourages gentle micro-oxygenation and helps shape the wine’s texture and aromatic depth.

After aging on lees for about seven years, more than twice the minimum required by the appellation, each bottle was riddled and disgorged by hand. Bollinger said that labor-intensive process remains central to the identity of La Grande Année and is still practiced by only a small number of Champagne houses.

The rosé version, La Grande Année Rosé 2018, includes red wine from La Côte aux Enfants, a historic vineyard owned by Bollinger. The addition gives the wine its color and adds another layer of structure and fruit character.

In the glass, La Grande Année 2018 shows a golden yellow color. Bollinger describes the nose as fresh and layered, with citrus, Granny Smith apple, white peach, apricot and mirabelle plum. With air, notes of fresh almond, breadcrumbs and acacia appear, along with floral tones and a mineral edge. On the palate, the wine is structured and balanced, with flavors of fruit compote and quince before moving into a creamy mousse and a long finish.

The house suggests serving it with dishes such as tuna carpaccio with fennel, veal medallion with sage and shiitake mushrooms, or Tomme de Montagne cheese with herbs. It also points to more delicate pairings like poached Comice pear with hibiscus syrup, lemon and verbena. The suggested retail price is 215€.

La Grande Année Rosé 2018 is described by Bollinger as more fruit-driven on the nose, with strawberry and red currant joined by citrus and vine peach, plus an early hint of menthol. On the palate it is fuller, with a crisp red-fruit texture and persistent juiciness that leads to a finish marked by citrus peel and blood orange. Bollinger recommends pairing it with veal carpaccio, grilled lobster tail flamed with cognac, duck breast with blood orange zest or cheeses such as Époisses filled with truffle and aged Mimolette. The suggested retail price is 265€.

Bollinger remains one of Champagne’s best-known independent houses. It has been certified as a B Corp since 2023 as part of its sustainability efforts. The house also has a long relationship with the British royal family; in 1884 it was named official Champagne supplier to the Royal Household, a role it says it has held continuously for more than 140 years.