About this wine
La Grande Année is Bollinger's vintage prestige cuvée, produced only in exceptional years from a blend of Grand and Premier Cru fruit (roughly 60-65% Pinot Noir, 35-40% Chardonnay depending on vintage). It is entirely fermented in old oak barrels (around 20 years old) rather than steel, then aged under cork on its lees for at least eight years — more than twice the appellation minimum — giving it exceptional complexity, aging potential, and a signature toasted, mineral character alongside stone-fruit and dried-fruit notes.
If you want to understand what a great vintage Champagne can be, this is the benchmark to start with — rich, complex, but still balanced enough to enjoy without deep wine knowledge.
Sommelier's Note
"La Grande Année is what Champagne tastes like when a house refuses to compromise on barrel fermentation and extended aging — it rewards patience more than almost any other vintage Champagne on the market."
Food Pairings
Its creamy effervescence and structure pair beautifully with meat dishes, mushrooms, nuts, and red berries. Bollinger is often cited as one of the best food-pairing Champagne houses, and La Grande Année is the clearest expression of that reputation.
When to drink it
Milestone celebrations, fine dining, and gifts for serious wine lovers.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
- Style
- Sparkling
- Alcohol
- 12%
- Price Range
- $180-260 depending on vintage (reference conversion from average US retail price)
Terroir & Winemaking
Produced only in declared vintage years from Grand and Premier Cru plots. Fermented entirely in oak barrels roughly 20 years old, aged under natural cork for 8+ years on lees. Blend typically around 60-65% Pinot Noir, 35-40% Chardonnay, sourced mainly from Verzenay, Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Chouilly, and Avize.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is La Grande Année made every year?
- No, it is only produced in years Bollinger declares as exceptional vintages, using exclusively Grand and Premier Cru fruit.
- Why is oak fermentation important for La Grande Année?
- Fermenting entirely in barrels roughly 20 years old allows gentle micro-oxygenation, developing complex aromas and extending the wine's aging potential compared to steel-tank fermentation.
- How long can La Grande Année be aged?
- It can be enjoyed on release, but many vintages continue to develop for 12-15+ years or longer in good cellar conditions.
- What food pairs best with La Grande Année?
- Meat dishes, mushrooms, nuts, and red berries; in a Japanese context, dishes with concentrated umami such as sukiyaki or duck hotpot work particularly well.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
ボランジェ スペシャル・キュヴェ
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ボランジェ R.D.
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Bollinger R.D. (Récemment Dégorgé) is an iconic vintage Champagne that undergoes exceptionally long aging on its lees, far exceeding legal requirements. Disgorged only shortly before release, it achieves a unique balance between intense aromatic complexity—characterized by notes of honey, dried fruits, and toasted brioche—and remarkable freshness. This wine represents the pinnacle of the Bollinger style, showcasing the power of Pinot Noir and the precision of extended maturation.
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Bollinger Rosé
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Launched in 2008, Bollinger Rosé is the house's non-vintage pink Champagne, built on the same backbone as Special Cuvée but deepened with roughly 5-6% still red wine from Pinot Noir grown in Aÿ and Verzenay. The blend of about 62% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay and 14% Meunier spends around three years on lees, drawing 85% of its fruit from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards. The result is a structured, food-friendly rosé with real tannic grip rather than a delicate, fruity style.
ボランジェ ラ・グラン・ダネ ロゼ
Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé
SparklingRoséPinot Noir · Chardonnay
La Grande Année Rosé is the rosé expression of Bollinger's vintage prestige cuvée, made only in the same exceptional years as La Grande Année. Roughly 62-67% Pinot Noir and 33-38% Chardonnay from around 19 Grand and Premier Cru crus (mainly Verzenay, Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Chouilly, and Cuis) form the base, fermented entirely in old oak barrels. A distinctive addition of about 5% still red wine from the Côte aux Enfants plot in Aÿ gives it its red-fruited character and pale, coppery-pink hue. Madame Bollinger was long reluctant to make a rosé at all, which is why this bottling was reserved for only the finest vintages and marked with the vintage seal from the start.
ボランジェ ヴィエイユ・ヴィーニュ・フランセーズ
Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises
SparklingPinot Noir
Vieilles Vignes Françaises is one of the rarest and most mythical cuvées in all of Champagne: a 100% Pinot Noir blanc de noirs made exclusively from two tiny ungrafted Grand Cru plots in Aÿ — Chaudes Terres and Clos Saint-Jacques — that miraculously survived the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century. Grown the traditional way using provignage (layering), these pre-phylloxera vines yield only a few thousand bottles in the rare years the wine is produced. Madame Lily Bollinger first commissioned it in 1969 to mark her 70th birthday, and it has been a collector's obsession ever since its commercial launch in 1974.