En magnum and tasted alongside the 1996. This is a terrific wine, but certainly loses in comparison to the '96. It was still youngish and had great acidity and tension. Long on the palette. There was a someone unexpected although not off-putting coconut flavor on the back palate; almost like a characteristic of American oak.
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Grand Jury du Vin - Republic of Georgia; 11/1/2023-11/9/2023 (Republic of Georgia then stopover in Paris and Dijon): En magnum directly from the house. Rich intense yellow color. Expressive nose displaying ripe sweet yellow fruit, baked apple, peach, strong brioche, honey, light caramel, sweet spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, generous sweet yellow fruit, rich and deeply toned, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and brioche at the end. This is a bit “heavy”. Fully mature and read to go. I clearly prefer the 96. I tried from three different magnums which were identical.
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Mörkt gyllene färg. Mycket komplexa noter av gräddkola, nötter, bränd citrus (typ ett snäpp mer än grillad), brynt smör, aprikos, apelsin, trocadero, honung, ett uns skogssvamp, lite choklad, kryddor. Pigg syra, superfin balans. Kanske inte världens högsta tryck i smaken men en bra finish där komplexiteten finns kvar. Väldigt välbevarad flaska!
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Tasted vis-a-vis the 96, this of course looses out. Seems very rich, mature, plenty of coffee notes here, a full bodied wine with the acidity still alive - as well as the mousse. #Jordnær
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Power! A very livley acidity. First quite a strong whiff of cellar that was getting milder over time. Quite oxidised but not at all in a unpleasant way. I've had better bottles of this vintage but still very good!
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(Blind tasting) Mature nose, verging on the oxidative. Orange peel, ripe apple and dark chocolate. Seems a bit tired. Mature, spicy palate. Ripe apple, dried apricots and other dried fruits. Dates. This bottle a bit too mature. But quality is there.
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A very mature wine now with a dark color. The fizz has almost disappeared with only very little in the mouth. One must appreciate the mature oxidised style for this one. Hazelnut, brioche, stone, mandarin and cumquat. Long aftertaste and powerful nose. For my taste it should have been consumed.
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Time after time, I love this vintage. This bottle was aged well, and still had great crispness and strike on the palate. Clearly showing oxidation typical of the producer, but still plenty light and bright in color. One comment from user; “Wow, this is F’ing awesome.” Just a delicious, beautifully aged champagne. Paid $250, in this current “high time for wine,” but felt it was more worthy of the price than just about any current release at the same price point, only this is 26 years old. Still plenty of time for a slow-ox.
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Good healthy 'pop' on opening. Mid-golden colour. Good, fine mousse. Superb on the nose: complex notes of hazelnut and a citrusy freshness, with some underlying but not over-prominent oxidisation. Excellent on the palate, rich, complex and biscuity, with oxidised notes but kept fresh and in balance by the acidity. Lovely, long aftertaste lifted by the tingling bubbles.
As others have said, this is a champagne to accompany food. It was a magnificent bottle to accompany our Rick Stein delivered-to-home lobster thermidor - a perfect pairing. It was still in very fine fettle, although arguably might have been even better four or five years ago. Drink now whilst it is still delicious.
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OK. When I started buying good champagnes, I went for the heavy ones. And what better candidate than this wine? Now, I get a bit tired of the quite heavy, early oxidized style. And this old wine confirms my prejudices. Deep amber in color, still quite vivid bubbles, nothing wrong with cork or bottle (the cork comes out with a clear "pop"). Heavily oxidized nose, but only a logic evolvement of the Bollinger style. The mouth is much better than the nose: sweet curry-marinated peach and apples, lots of honey and a bit of sweet red pepper. Very nice mousse that is persistent for at least an hour in the glass. Long aftertaste reminiscent of sherry and curry, but also with a honied tone. This bottle has been kept at perfect condition for the last 20 years. Is this the way BGA evolves? If "yes", I have bought my last bottle.
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Ut fra andre rapporter i 2020 må dette ha vært en dårlig flaske. Tydelig slitent oksidasjonspreg, slapp frukt og litt «dagen derpå»-autolyse. Ufrisk. Muskler i munn, dyp frukt og reminisenser av stort år. Men denne er minst 10 år over toppen, kanskje mer
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Lot's of butter, brioche and olives. Crushed, ripe apples. The nose is mora mature than the taste where a refreshing acidity keeps everything in line. Will hold for another decade without problems.
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Majestic wine. Served vis-a-vis La Grande Dame, this was by far superior (all though the girls prefered the other wine). This is manly stuff, still very fresh, layered and full with notes of brioche and ginger. The mature presence of this could work well with food. #NewYearsEve#P&S
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Heavy on the nose and mouth! Needs to be paired with food! More restrained after a few hours. Concentrated and almost Krug-like. Wide open to drink right now!
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Bollinger at The Capital (Nathan's outlaw at The Capital): Hugely darker than the previous wines, this really is burnished old gold and then some. Looks decades older than it is. Nose pretty advanced too. Somewhat fresher on the palate, but it's a relative term. A shadow of the 96. Some interest but this has not lasted. **1/2
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Appearance: Bright and clear, it is deep lemon in color, with watery rim and legs. Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of citrus fruit of lemon and lime, green fruit of apple, maturity notes of mushroom, autolytic notes of yeast, oxidation notes of sherry, oak notes of toast, mineral notes of steely. The wine is fully developed. Palate: Dry with high acidity, the wine has medium (-) alcohol, light body and pronounced intensity flavors of citrus fruit of lime, green fruit of apple, oxidation notes of sherry, autolytic notes of yeast, maturity notes of mushroom. The wine has a long finish. Conclusion: Very good quality Champagne with a very intense nose showing good complexity, particularly in the development characters, the wine has a high acidity and very refreshing and crisp, with exceptional concentration and length on the finish. It is really a great example of an aged champagne and how it could develop. Ready to drink now, it is not meant for further ageing.
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Moden men fin nese. Modne epler, sopp og nøtter. Nydelig mousse Moden frukt i anslaget også med en flott nerve og konsentrasjon. Sitrende finish med god lengde. 92-93p
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Italians at Scena (Scena, Mpls, MN): This bottle was purchased on released and cellared ever since. VERY oxidized. A sad statement on 20 year old Champagne that has been well stored.
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Magnum. Pretty nose giving up toasted / poached fruit with brioche in the background. Seems more developed than the '96 Grande Annee which is still big and vibrant and fresh. Huge palate of juicy red apple that is very tasty and hedonistic to drink right now. Some tangerine and tartness. Too sweet an hour later. Still very enjoyable but probably drink now.
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Bollinger 1953-2009: From magnum. Nose initially closed, takes time to open up. Bright yellow colour. Pleasantly warm nose of toffee, caramel, biscuit, hint of mushrooms. Very long finish. Classy, it was compared to Pierce Brosnan as a James Bond - both charm and power.
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Light amber color. Complex bouquet, of fruits (apple, lemon, pear, coconut meat), baking and stove-top goods (bread dough, caramel, Barbados sugar, vanilla, roasted nuts) and a mild cheese plate. Lovely mousse, rather vigorous. Creamy and with a lash of acidity, this baby is is perfect mid-life stage - for me. Light-ish flavors match the nose in across the board entirely. Pervasive finish, effervescence strong at the end. Bottle #2 of two.
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Amazing smell filled with citrus and apple, bread and chocolate. The mouth feel is creamy-smooth and still lively thanks to ample of small bubbles. Superb concentration with a perfect acidic back bone. Bread mixes with citrus lemon fruit and milk chocolate in a food allowable style with an aftertaste that last for at least a minute. Wow...will last for a few more years but why wait...
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a little more golden in color, advanced but not over the hill. mushrooms, hazelnuts, lemon zest. paired extremely well with the old school classic of blini, creme fraiche and caviar.
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Deep straw in color. Nose of yeast with a hint of citrus. Tastes of green apples, bread, and hints of lemon and limestone. Acid dominated the finish. Past its prime but still enjoyable. Light on bubbles.
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Griotte-Chambertin Dinner (Graham Elliot - Chicago IL): Served double blind alongside its 2002 counterpart. Bready aromatics, showing more age than I'd expect from the typical 1995. Big apple and pear, rounded and slightly fat to start. Yeast and acid most prominent on finish. Good overall, but everybody preferred the wonderful 2002 tonight.
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Fantastic wine, had out of magnum at Christmas and just had this with Dinner, nothing else. Man this is the best match for a turkey, absolutely nothing better than this with Turkey! I'm surprised how great this is. Classic mature champagne notes, brioche, apricot, nuts, round and beautiful.
Love this wine
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Outstanding! Mature yellow color. Nice light row of bubbles. Discreet mousse, but stayed during the meal (Oysters au Gratin with Safran, and Sushi). Nuts, minerals, chalk, citrus, bread, dough, chocolate and a light hint of sherry (in a nice way). Looong aftertaste. Became more sophisticated and deep as time went on. I am sure it will develop further, but unfortunately the fizz might me gone...
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Easily the best example of this wine I have ever had. There was a compelling creamy/nuttiness, call it pistachio ice cream. This wine had a rich and dense, creamy. It is also so bright and balanced. This wine was compelling cold, and as it warmed in the glass. Sorry it did not last very long at the table.
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Profound; v. substantive mid-palate followed by an ethereal, light finish -- stunning juxtaposition; at $65 on release phenomenal QPR; still lively and at a beautiful place right now
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Absolutely glorious Champagne, in a near-perfect drinking window at present. Beautiful nose of brioche, sweet citrus, and nuts - the nose further developed to mushroom and yeasty/dough after an hour or two of being open. Even some floral components came through - it's the type of wine that you want to sit and enjoy the nose for the entire day. On the palate, it showed an incredible creaminess. Tiny, fine bubbles, great acidity, gorgeous flavor profiles of sweet green apples, nuts, and more brioche. Of course, with a Champagne this fine, the finish is also wonderful - long, crisp, and clean. A fantastic Champagne I wish I would have waited a few hours to open, as the last glass was the finest.
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This was a little funky at first, maybe ever so slight corkiness. Oh well nobody noticed but Julie and I, and the wine became quite drinkable. Very soft and quite mature, with some creamy citrus notes. But it always let me know there was a slight problem somewhere in the bottle. I would like to taste a better example of this wine.
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WIML92+. Seems to be going into a phase, almost shutdown. Not quite vibrant fruits, citrus, etc.. that a youthful Annee might have but not yet weighty with more earthy, doughy notes. I'd recommend holding for a little while. 92+ now because based on history this wine should be closer to the 93-95 mark. Hold.
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It is starting do turn golden. Clean and crisp on the nose with apples and citrus but not as toasty and nutty as I usually find Bollinger. Mouthfilling creamy mousse. Sweet fruit, lively acidity with nicely integrated oak . Very elegant.
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It was very impressive and overall very elegant and noble. At first it smelled a bit oxidized/sherry-like, but it soon whiffed away and left a complex and extraordinary delicious champagne. By far the best champagne I had this year, other tasting include Laurent Perrier, Krug and Egly-Ouriet, all NV). Rating: 95
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63% PN, 37% C; 82% GC, 18% PC. Medium straw yellow, lively, lovely mousse; quite oxidative on the nose, fresh acidity, ripe fruit, coffee and nuts; dry but smooth, a more elegant style than the 1990.
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Tasted tonight w/ crab-stuffed mushrooms. Outstanding champagne... probably the best I have ever tasted. Lively and crisp right from the start... great acidity mixed w/ ripe fruit, crisp kiwi, pear and citrus, w/ nice body and LONG finish... brilliant flavors on the palate. Nice nose and beads, with pale straw coloring. As most of you know, I am a large advocate of allowing wine to age for those special secondary characteristics, but I don't understand aging Champagne. This seems like a young bubbly, full of vibrance. Seems like the Brits are the only ones who age their Champagne. Anyways... this is a definite buy.
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Very light copper color. Aromas of nut skins and honey, followed by spices, yeasty bread, and toasted nuts. Rich, thick, and buttery in the mouth, but perfectly balanced and fresh. I can't wait to see how this develops over the next few years.
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Very vinous, this was the first time I really appreciated a Bollinger GA (I had tried 90 and 95 before), and I think this was due to the perfect serving temperature. Other times it was too cold and completely dead compared to this one. A very nice champagne, although this is not my favourite style
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The nose is chalky and toasted almonds, with loads of ripe summer fruit and a just a hint of raisins. Rich and mouthfilling with very good acidity. This will improve over the next 10 years.
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Red Carpet: Blue-green deep color; heavy yeast, but nice acid; rich heavy straw & dough; particular b/c of it’s aroma & weight. Extremely yeasty fragrance.
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3/9/2024 - LT98 wrote: 93 Points
En magnum and tasted alongside the 1996. This is a terrific wine, but certainly loses in comparison to the '96. It was still youngish and had great acidity and tension. Long on the palette. There was a someone unexpected although not off-putting coconut flavor on the back palate; almost like a characteristic of American oak.
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11/2/2023 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
Grand Jury du Vin - Republic of Georgia; 11/1/2023-11/9/2023 (Republic of Georgia then stopover in Paris and Dijon): En magnum directly from the house. Rich intense yellow color. Expressive nose displaying ripe sweet yellow fruit, baked apple, peach, strong brioche, honey, light caramel, sweet spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, generous sweet yellow fruit, rich and deeply toned, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and brioche at the end. This is a bit “heavy”. Fully mature and read to go. I clearly prefer the 96. I tried from three different magnums which were identical.
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6/21/2023 - merlotsmile wrote: 95 Points
Firade sommarsolståndet 4.57 pm med denna flaska.
Mörkt gyllene färg. Mycket komplexa noter av gräddkola, nötter, bränd citrus (typ ett snäpp mer än grillad), brynt smör, aprikos, apelsin, trocadero, honung, ett uns skogssvamp, lite choklad, kryddor. Pigg syra, superfin balans. Kanske inte världens högsta tryck i smaken men en bra finish där komplexiteten finns kvar. Väldigt välbevarad flaska!
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3/10/2022 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Tasted vis-a-vis the 96, this of course looses out. Seems very rich, mature, plenty of coffee notes here, a full bodied wine with the acidity still alive - as well as the mousse.
#Jordnær
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1/22/2022 - Lars1974 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Power! A very livley acidity. First quite a strong whiff of cellar that was getting milder over time. Quite oxidised but not at all in a unpleasant way. I've had better bottles of this vintage but still very good!
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10/29/2021 - Argrath wrote: 93 Points
(Blind tasting)
Mature nose, verging on the oxidative. Orange peel, ripe apple and dark chocolate. Seems a bit tired.
Mature, spicy palate. Ripe apple, dried apricots and other dried fruits. Dates. This bottle a bit too mature. But quality is there.
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10/13/2021 - Tartiflette wrote: 93 Points
A very mature wine now with a dark color. The fizz has almost disappeared with only very little in the mouth. One must appreciate the mature oxidised style for this one. Hazelnut, brioche, stone, mandarin and cumquat. Long aftertaste and powerful nose. For my taste it should have been consumed.
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9/1/2021 - vetty wrote: 93 Points
drinking with 90 R.D., this bottle has more bubble but less flavor intensity. but still lots of tertiary and 2nd flavor like honey bread
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8/31/2021 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Cellar Farewell? (Comilonas): Somewhat thinner and less complex than 90 RD. Still very good toasty notes signature to the house. 93
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6/25/2021 - JohnnyBark Likes this wine:
Time after time, I love this vintage. This bottle was aged well, and still had great crispness and strike on the palate. Clearly showing oxidation typical of the producer, but still plenty light and bright in color. One comment from user; “Wow, this is F’ing awesome.” Just a delicious, beautifully aged champagne. Paid $250, in this current “high time for wine,” but felt it was more worthy of the price than just about any current release at the same price point, only this is 26 years old. Still plenty of time for a slow-ox.
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2/13/2021 - Richard Nabavi Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good healthy 'pop' on opening. Mid-golden colour. Good, fine mousse. Superb on the nose: complex notes of hazelnut and a citrusy freshness, with some underlying but not over-prominent oxidisation. Excellent on the palate, rich, complex and biscuity, with oxidised notes but kept fresh and in balance by the acidity. Lovely, long aftertaste lifted by the tingling bubbles.
As others have said, this is a champagne to accompany food. It was a magnificent bottle to accompany our Rick Stein delivered-to-home lobster thermidor - a perfect pairing. It was still in very fine fettle, although arguably might have been even better four or five years ago. Drink now whilst it is still delicious.
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1/2/2021 - dagij wrote: 85 Points
OK. When I started buying good champagnes, I went for the heavy ones. And what better candidate than this wine? Now, I get a bit tired of the quite heavy, early oxidized style. And this old wine confirms my prejudices. Deep amber in color, still quite vivid bubbles, nothing wrong with cork or bottle (the cork comes out with a clear "pop"). Heavily oxidized nose, but only a logic evolvement of the Bollinger style. The mouth is much better than the nose: sweet curry-marinated peach and apples, lots of honey and a bit of sweet red pepper. Very nice mousse that is persistent for at least an hour in the glass. Long aftertaste reminiscent of sherry and curry, but also with a honied tone. This bottle has been kept at perfect condition for the last 20 years. Is this the way BGA evolves? If "yes", I have bought my last bottle.
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11/23/2020 - Anders Danielsen Lie Likes this wine: 87 Points
Ut fra andre rapporter i 2020 må dette ha vært en dårlig flaske. Tydelig slitent oksidasjonspreg, slapp frukt og litt «dagen derpå»-autolyse. Ufrisk. Muskler i munn, dyp frukt og reminisenser av stort år. Men denne er minst 10 år over toppen, kanskje mer
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11/22/2020 - burgundy-panda wrote: 95 Points
Perfect wine. Hazelnut, baked bisquits, apple. Medium acidity, very powerfull fruit, lively bubbles, long long aftertaste. Drink or keep 2016-2025.
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4/26/2020 - Lars1974 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lot's of butter, brioche and olives. Crushed, ripe apples. The nose is mora mature than the taste where a refreshing acidity keeps everything in line.
Will hold for another decade without problems.
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1/1/2020 - beatles wrote: 95 Points
Majestic wine. Served vis-a-vis La Grande Dame, this was by far superior (all though the girls prefered the other wine). This is manly stuff, still very fresh, layered and full with notes of brioche and ginger. The mature presence of this could work well with food.
#NewYearsEve#P&S
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10/9/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Looking a bit oxidised with too much brulee and bruised apple action. Flavours are a tad dull.
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8/25/2018 - Lars1974 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Heavy on the nose and mouth! Needs to be paired with food! More restrained after a few hours. Concentrated and almost Krug-like. Wide open to drink right now!
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10/20/2017 - thunberg wrote: flawed
BYOB - Pinot Noir Finewines.se (Sollentuna, Sweden): Oxidized, apple juice, oak, flowers. Tart, medium acidity, heavy, unbalanced but good.
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10/10/2017 - SimonG wrote: 85 Points
Bollinger at The Capital (Nathan's outlaw at The Capital): Hugely darker than the previous wines, this really is burnished old gold and then some. Looks decades older than it is. Nose pretty advanced too. Somewhat fresher on the palate, but it's a relative term. A shadow of the 96. Some interest but this has not lasted. **1/2
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3/18/2017 - peterchoy wrote: 93 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, it is deep lemon in color, with watery rim and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of citrus fruit of lemon and lime, green fruit of apple, maturity notes of mushroom, autolytic notes of yeast, oxidation notes of sherry, oak notes of toast, mineral notes of steely. The wine is fully developed.
Palate: Dry with high acidity, the wine has medium (-) alcohol, light body and pronounced intensity flavors of citrus fruit of lime, green fruit of apple, oxidation notes of sherry, autolytic notes of yeast, maturity notes of mushroom. The wine has a long finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality Champagne with a very intense nose showing good complexity, particularly in the development characters, the wine has a high acidity and very refreshing and crisp, with exceptional concentration and length on the finish. It is really a great example of an aged champagne and how it could develop. Ready to drink now, it is not meant for further ageing.
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1/21/2017 - Rieslingfan wrote:
On a beautiful plateau of maturity with apple, wheat toast, hazelnut and lemon zest flavors. Long finish and good zip.
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11/9/2016 - hajoha wrote: 93 Points
Moden men fin nese.
Modne epler, sopp og nøtter.
Nydelig mousse
Moden frukt i anslaget også med en flott nerve og konsentrasjon.
Sitrende finish med god lengde. 92-93p
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7/19/2016 - kingkanu wrote:
Almost dark gold, this was quite mature, it had list a fair bit of sparkle and was mainly nuts and honey, a little too developed for my tastes
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6/29/2016 - pabernatchez wrote: 94 Points
Very solid, in its prime, but should continue to evolve beautifully. Complex and changeing over the half hour it lasted in my glass!
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6/24/2016 - Frippeandersson wrote:
Fff
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2/3/2016 - rocknroller wrote: flawed
Italians at Scena (Scena, Mpls, MN): This bottle was purchased on released and cellared ever since. VERY oxidized. A sad statement on 20 year old Champagne that has been well stored.
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12/1/2015 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 91 Points
Magnum. Pretty nose giving up toasted / poached fruit with brioche in the background. Seems more developed than the '96 Grande Annee which is still big and vibrant and fresh. Huge palate of juicy red apple that is very tasty and hedonistic to drink right now. Some tangerine and tartness. Too sweet an hour later. Still very enjoyable but probably drink now.
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11/7/2015 - AV2012 wrote: 94 Points
Bollinger 1953-2009: From magnum.
Nose initially closed, takes time to open up. Bright yellow colour. Pleasantly warm nose of toffee, caramel, biscuit, hint of mushrooms. Very long finish. Classy, it was compared to Pierce Brosnan as a James Bond - both charm and power.
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8/12/2015 - Hodby wrote: 92 Points
Light amber color. Complex bouquet, of fruits (apple, lemon, pear, coconut meat), baking and stove-top goods (bread dough, caramel, Barbados sugar, vanilla, roasted nuts) and a mild cheese plate. Lovely mousse, rather vigorous. Creamy and with a lash of acidity, this baby is is perfect mid-life stage - for me. Light-ish flavors match the nose in across the board entirely. Pervasive finish, effervescence strong at the end. Bottle #2 of two.
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6/8/2015 - olalar wrote: 95 Points
Amazing smell filled with citrus and apple, bread and chocolate. The mouth feel is creamy-smooth and still lively thanks to ample of small bubbles. Superb concentration with a perfect acidic back bone. Bread mixes with citrus lemon fruit and milk chocolate in a food allowable style with an aftertaste that last for at least a minute. Wow...will last for a few more years but why wait...
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11/16/2014 - konadog wrote: 94 Points
a little more golden in color, advanced but not over the hill. mushrooms, hazelnuts, lemon zest. paired extremely well with the old school classic of blini, creme fraiche and caviar.
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5/29/2014 - SquamVino wrote:
Phenomenal
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4/4/2014 - Wine_lvr wrote: flawed
Mature Champage: Tasted blind: Either the wine is already very mature or this was a flawed bottle. I hope it is the latter of the two.
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10/19/2013 - efeldhake@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep straw in color. Nose of yeast with a hint of citrus. Tastes of green apples, bread, and hints of lemon and limestone. Acid dominated the finish. Past its prime but still enjoyable. Light on bubbles.
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7/27/2013 - vintage61 wrote: 95 Points
Drank with Starla and Katy at my home. Excellent mature balanced, on the leading edge of oxidation.
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6/2/2013 - Uncle John wrote: 92 Points
Lots of yeast and brioche. Fine bubbles with some sweetness and a complex finish.
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2/7/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Griotte-Chambertin Dinner (Graham Elliot - Chicago IL): Served double blind alongside its 2002 counterpart. Bready aromatics, showing more age than I'd expect from the typical 1995. Big apple and pear, rounded and slightly fat to start. Yeast and acid most prominent on finish. Good overall, but everybody preferred the wonderful 2002 tonight.
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12/31/2012 - LegendaryL wrote: 85 Points
Taste and balance was excellent, but bottle had started to go flat.
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8/13/2012 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Stunning.
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4/13/2012 - kmforster wrote: 94 Points
This is drinking really beautifully right now! Wish I had more.
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1/5/2012 - G_H Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic wine, had out of magnum at Christmas and just had this with Dinner, nothing else. Man this is the best match for a turkey, absolutely nothing better than this with Turkey! I'm surprised how great this is. Classic mature champagne notes, brioche, apricot, nuts, round and beautiful.
Love this wine
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10/29/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding! Mature yellow color. Nice light row of bubbles. Discreet mousse, but stayed during the meal (Oysters au Gratin with Safran, and Sushi). Nuts, minerals, chalk, citrus, bread, dough, chocolate and a light hint of sherry (in a nice way). Looong aftertaste. Became more sophisticated and deep as time went on. I am sure it will develop further, but unfortunately the fizz might me gone...
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9/25/2011 - olalar wrote: 94 Points
Stunning. Lots of fruit left (lemons apples) and an amazing choclate notes intermixed with some honey. The taste is full, long with great balance.
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10/18/2010 - candyman wrote: 92 Points
slight nutty on the nose,very fresh on the palet , nice dry finish and lingering fruit delicious impresive
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7/22/2010 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 96 Points
Easily the best example of this wine I have ever had. There was a compelling creamy/nuttiness, call it pistachio ice cream. This wine had a rich and dense, creamy. It is also so bright and balanced. This wine was compelling cold, and as it warmed in the glass. Sorry it did not last very long at the table.
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7/21/2010 - ctbob wrote:
Profound; v. substantive mid-palate followed by an ethereal, light finish -- stunning juxtaposition; at $65 on release phenomenal QPR; still lively and at a beautiful place right now
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2/9/2010 - Todd French wrote: 98 Points
Absolutely glorious Champagne, in a near-perfect drinking window at present. Beautiful nose of brioche, sweet citrus, and nuts - the nose further developed to mushroom and yeasty/dough after an hour or two of being open. Even some floral components came through - it's the type of wine that you want to sit and enjoy the nose for the entire day. On the palate, it showed an incredible creaminess. Tiny, fine bubbles, great acidity, gorgeous flavor profiles of sweet green apples, nuts, and more brioche. Of course, with a Champagne this fine, the finish is also wonderful - long, crisp, and clean. A fantastic Champagne I wish I would have waited a few hours to open, as the last glass was the finest.
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12/24/2009 - BigPoppaMD wrote: 92 Points
Superb!
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7/22/2008 - Charlie Carnes wrote: flawed
This was a little funky at first, maybe ever so slight corkiness. Oh well nobody noticed but Julie and I, and the wine became quite drinkable. Very soft and quite mature, with some creamy citrus notes. But it always let me know there was a slight problem somewhere in the bottle. I would like to taste a better example of this wine.
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10/11/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92+. Seems to be going into a phase, almost shutdown. Not quite vibrant fruits, citrus, etc.. that a youthful Annee might have but not yet weighty with more earthy, doughy notes. I'd recommend holding for a little while. 92+ now because based on history this wine should be closer to the 93-95 mark. Hold.
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2/24/2007 - pea wrote: 93 Points
Golden. Big on the nose with overripe apples, blood orange, red berries, nuts and toast. Creamy mousse, crisp and simply delicious.
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1/7/2007 - pea wrote: 93 Points
It is starting do turn golden. Clean and crisp on the nose with apples and citrus but not as toasty and nutty as I usually find Bollinger. Mouthfilling creamy mousse. Sweet fruit, lively acidity with nicely integrated oak . Very elegant.
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12/25/2006 - olig wrote: 95 Points
V Impressive
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10/8/2006 - winefool wrote:
Very very good if I recall.
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9/2/2006 - slon wrote: flawed
Others were not so sure, but I thought the bottle was definitely flawed.
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4/18/2006 - gorm wrote: 95 Points
It was very impressive and overall very elegant and noble. At first it smelled a bit oxidized/sherry-like, but it soon whiffed away and left a complex and extraordinary delicious champagne. By far the best champagne I had this year, other tasting include Laurent Perrier, Krug and Egly-Ouriet, all NV). Rating: 95
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1/21/2006 - slon wrote: flawed
Spoiled, probably TCA + bacterial.
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11/25/2005 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
63% PN, 37% C; 82% GC, 18% PC. Medium straw yellow, lively, lovely mousse; quite oxidative on the nose, fresh acidity, ripe fruit, coffee and nuts; dry but smooth, a more elegant style than the 1990.
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5/12/2005 - Fookonson65 wrote:
Tasted tonight w/ crab-stuffed mushrooms. Outstanding champagne... probably the best I have ever tasted. Lively and crisp right from the start... great acidity mixed w/ ripe fruit, crisp kiwi, pear and citrus, w/ nice body and LONG finish... brilliant flavors on the palate. Nice nose and beads, with pale straw coloring. As most of you know, I am a large advocate of allowing wine to age for those special secondary characteristics, but I don't understand aging Champagne. This seems like a young bubbly, full of vibrance. Seems like the Brits are the only ones who age their Champagne. Anyways... this is a definite buy.
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8/14/2004 - slon wrote: 95 Points
Very light copper color. Aromas of nut skins and honey, followed by spices, yeasty bread, and toasted nuts. Rich, thick, and buttery in the mouth, but perfectly balanced and fresh. I can't wait to see how this develops over the next few years.
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5/20/2004 - Will wrote:
Very vinous, this was the first time I really appreciated a Bollinger GA (I had tried 90 and 95 before), and I think this was due to the perfect serving temperature. Other times it was too cold and completely dead compared to this one. A very nice champagne, although this is not my favourite style
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1/19/2004 - Rani wrote: 93 Points
The nose is chalky and toasted almonds, with loads of ripe summer fruit and a just a hint of raisins. Rich and mouthfilling with very good acidity. This will improve over the next 10 years.
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2/14/2003 - peternelson wrote: 94 Points
Red Carpet: Very fragrant, hi-note yeasty nose; special mineral/wood quality; big acids near end. The 3rd very yeasty champ. tonight (all 1995).
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11/23/2002 - peternelson wrote: 95 Points
Red Carpet: Blue-green deep color; heavy yeast, but nice acid; rich heavy straw & dough; particular b/c of it’s aroma & weight. Extremely yeasty fragrance.
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