Bollinger Flashcards
Ay- Champagne
Vallee de la Marne
Societe Jacques Bollinger
Holding company, also owns Ayala, Champagne Montvillers, Maison Chanson, Langlois-Chateau, Cognac Delamain. Invested along with Brian Croser and the Cazes Family (of Lynch Bages) in Tapanappa Winery (Australia)
production
200,000 cases
style
rich, oak-aged, and pinot-dominant
James Bond and the royal court
James Bond a fan. And Queen Victoria granted the house its Royal Warrant in 1884 and has been a customer since
Bollinger founded
1829 by German Businessman Jacques Bollinger, Paul-Joseph Renaudin, and a landowner Admiral de Villermont whose daughter Jacques later married
Lily Bollinger
ran company successfully for 30 years after Jacques died in 1941
Oak
when most houses switching to inox in 60s and 70s Lily remained committed to Oak. All vintage and reserve wines are fermented in barrel. Oldest barrels 110 years old.
Oak impact
oxidative impact of old oak coupled with long (6-7 month) aging accounts for deliberately oxidized , bruised apple, and earthy spicy style. Bollinger consider this “vaccination against future oxidation” which contributes to wines’ longevity
extensive vineyard holdings
160ha ensure quality of 2/3 production
aging reserve wines in magnum
each year 70-80,000 magnums are set aside. they are dosed with a small amount of sugar at bottling which induces a mini fermentation. the 1.5 bar pressure keeps the wines fresh
new bottle shape
in 2012 launched new bottle with wider than usual bottom and thinner neck making ratio of headspace to liquid more like a magnum. This “magnum affect” intended to slow development by preventing oxidation
La Grande Annee
fully barrel-fermented, closed with natural cork for 2nd fermentation, and disgorged a la volee. This led to some inconsistency du to 8 people hand-riddling differently and this has led to installation of jet system in 2012
