1996 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année

Community Tasting Notes (286) Avg Score: 93.2 points

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  3/9/2024 - LT98 wrote: 95 Points

  Obviously reading the reviews there is bottle variation. Fortunately, this bottle was mature but still fresh. Great toast and yeast notes. Hazelnuts, almonds and great secondary flavors. It is spectacular now and I would not hold much longer if you are lucky enough to own one.

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  3/7/2024 - thesternowl wrote: 94 Points

  Rhône or Nôwhere 2.0 (Malcolm, NE): From magnum, the 1996 Grande Année pours a brilliant pale gold color with a persistent mousse. Initially, the wine showed more oxidative notes but it freshened up considerably with air (in fact, a tiny amount was leftover for the next morning and it remained brilliant, racy even!). On the nose, notes of almond, citrus, honey, chalky minerals and brioche. On the palate, wine is developing with absolutely brilliant acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and zippy. The 1996 vintage is simply amazing. Here we are, 28 years past vintage and this bright and full of life! Granted, it’s a magnum, but still. Drink now with patience or enjoy through 2046+. Merci Matt!

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  1/13/2024 - J_H Likes this wine: 87 Points

  - Wow, this is fresh from the fist taste, bright shining aromas of a zesty straight line, orange peel, slithgt nutty, vanilla, yeast and burnt sugar. You can definitely feel the vibrancy and you just want to dive in.
  - On the palate, a perfect balance between high but not too aggressive acidity and sharp but not too little body. It is such a pleasure, the flavours dance on the tongue. It's simply outstanding and makes for endless drinking pleasure. For more points I would need a bit more complexity than we have had in similar vintages.
  - With more sips you really feel the high acidity of this 1996 vintage, for some people it will be too high.
  - 96-97p

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  12/25/2023 - SimonG wrote: 94 Points

  Consistent with a bottle fifteen months ago, and indeed unchanged over the last decade or so. Rich, gingery brioche with an initial sense of vanilla crème pat, deepening to buttery biscuit and toast. Nicely mid to full weight with some depth and good energy. Just lacking a little mid palate complexity and length for really fine. ****1/2

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  12/9/2023 - LW31 Likes this wine:

  Magnum. Old school deliciousness. Rich, deep, somewhat oxidative. Nothing hip here.

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