Eric Urbani

8.9

A lineup of eight Grenache and Grenache blends exploring how long can they age? All from 1994-1999, four countries represented. #2 for the group but I found it lean. — 5 years ago

Steve Cunneen

9.2

Quite delicious. Caramel, very ripe fruit on nose with a rich and full finish. Served with slow roast salmon and sauteed greens. Alcohol a little high (I'm guessing it was just the season) but very enjoyable and fun to drink at eight years old. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose; bright cherries, ripe strawberry & cranberry reduction, black raspberries, raspberries, watermelon near the rhine, mixed orange citrus, oyster shells, baguette crust, understated volcanic minerals, chalk, saline, fresh pink roses and florals. The body is full and a shade gluey. The fruits are ripe, rich and candied/gummy in style. Bright cherries, black cherries ripe strawberry & cranberry reduction, black raspberries, raspberries, watermelon near the rhine, mixed orange citrus spray, saline, seashells, soft grey volcanic minerals, lots of grippy powdery razor sharp chalkiness, baguette crust, fresh pink roses & florals, acidity that is round and well done, understated delicate micro bubbles and a long, well balanced, rich finish. The reason why I prefer the Billecart Salmon, Ruinart & Laurent Perrier over the Bollinger is it’s a little too sweet for me. Photos of; the House of Bollinger, cellar, headstone that marks one of their vineyards and their harvest staff picking perfectly manicured rows. Producer notes and history...Bollinger has roots dating back to 1585 when the Hennequins, one of the Bollinger founding families, owned land in Cramant. Before the Bollinger house was founded in the 18th century, the Villermont family practised wine making, though not under their family name. In 1750, Villermont settled at 16 rue Jules Lobet, which would eventually become the head office for Bollinger. In 1803 Jacques Joseph Placide Bollinger was born in Ellwangen, in the kingdom of Württemberg. In 1822, he moved to Champagne and found work at the house of Muller Ruinart, which no longer exists. Many other Germans came to settle in the Champagne region, including Johann-Josef Krug and the Heidsiecks, who founded a house that would become; Charles Heidsieck, Piper Heidsieck, Veuve Clicquot and others. The Champagne house Renaudin Bollinger was founded in 1829 in Aÿ by Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Levieux Renaudin and Jacques Bollinger. The partners agreed that the Villermont name would not be used on the labels, hence the house name Renaudin Bollinger. Starting when Jacques Bollinger married Charlotte de Villermont, the house has been managed by the Bollinger family. Even though Paul Renaudin passed without an heir to his name, the label did not become solely Bollinger until the 1960s. Founder Jacques Joseph Bollinger married Charlotte de Villermont. The had a daughter, who had two sons Joseph and Georges. These sons took over the company in 1885 and began expanding the family estate by purchasing vineyards in nearby villages. The sons also developed the image of the brand, such as when Bollinger became the official supplier to the British court and received a Royal Warrant in 1884 from Queen Victoria. In 1918, Jacques Bollinger, the son of Georges, took over the company and married Emily Law de Lauriston Boubers, known as "Lily". Jacques expanded the facilities by building new cellars, purchasing the Tauxières vineyards, and acquiring the assets of another Champagne house on Boulevard du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassign, where Bollinger's offices are presently located. When Jacques Bollinger died in 1941, Lily Bollinger took over. Lilly expanded production with the purchase of even more vineyards, but is best known for traveling the world to market the brand. Bollinger was modernized under the Claude d'Hautefeuille, who acquired additional vineyards and further developed the brand internationally. Following Claude, his cousin Christian Bizot took over the Bollinger house and expanded world distribution. Their Winemaker also used several James Bond film movies to market the brand. Bollinger is fermented in oak barrels. At harvest, only the first pressing is used in the cuvée, unless the vintage is of particularly high quality, when a second pressing of Chardonnay will be used. Bollinger sells the second pressing, the tailles. Bollinger utilizes two pressing houses (Louvois and Mareuil sur Aÿ) to ensure a short distance between harvest location and pressing. When possible, grapes purchased from growers are pressed by the house. When the pressed wine arrives, the Bollinger cellar master analyzes the musts for quality, discarding and selling off those that do not meet the house standards. The first fermentation is done cru by cru, variety by variety, preserving many of the unique characteristics of the vines location. Bollinger is one of the few Champagne houses to do some first fermentation in oak barrels. Wines that will not hold up to first fermentation in wood are vinified in vats. Bollinger Champagnes usually undergo malolactic fermentation. The Grande Année 1995 did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Bollinger uses only traditional yeast. They’ve decided that new generations of yeasts (agglomerated yeasts and encapsulated yeasts) do not produce satisfactory Champagne. Vintage wine, including all wine to be used in a Grande Année, is fermented in small oak barrels, sorted according to origin and variety. Both oak and stainless steel are used for non-vintage wine. Bollinger also has the last Cooperage in Champagne. The oak barrels are all at least four years old, avoiding the transfer of tannins to the wine. The wines are only lightly filtered. All Bollinger Champagne spends a long time on its lees, contributing to the complex flavour of the wine. Though appellation d'origine contrôlée rules only require 12 months on lees for non-vintage Champagne and for vintage (NV wines, 15 months from tirage to release and vintage wines must be kept for 36 months from tirage to release), Bollinger ages their non-vintage wines three years, and the vintage wines from five to eight years. The Grande Année and R.D. Champagnes are riddled by hand. At disgorgement, Bollinger wines are given a low dosage, to maintain the balance and flavor of the wine. The company uses 6-9 grams of sugar per liter for the Special Cuvée and La Grande Année. The extra-brut R.D. is dosed between 4 and 5 grams. After dosage, the wines are aged an additional several months, resting for a minimum of three months before shipping. Bollinger owns nearly 160 hectares of vines, producing more than 60% of its supply. The vines are largely Pinot Noir, specifically clone 386. Bollinger believes this clone ensures good quality as well as highlighting characteristics of the various terroirs. The vineyards also include some rare ungrafted French vines from before the phylloxera. Bollinger owns vines all over Champagne, including the crus of Aÿ, Bouzy and Verzenay. — 8 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.3

A lineup of eight Grenache and Grenache blends exploring how long can they age? All from 1994-1999, four countries represented. Our #1! — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

The 2011 ‘Gran Reserva’ Rioja by Marques de Caceres is up there with the best Gran Reservas I have sampled from this storied winery. This beautiful wine was sourced from 35-50 year old vineyards with some sections in the Rioja Alta region being 65-85 years old. The grapes for this wine were cropped at a mere 2.4 tons/acre, as the wine is largely sourced from higher elevation sites that are set on limestone and clay. The wine was then aged for 24 months in French oak and then aged for four years in the bottle prior to bottling as the final blending is largely Tempranillo (85%) with smaller parts Graciano and Garnacha. Needing more than an hour in the decanter to fully unwind, the wine slowly unveils black tea and black cherry cordial aromas that mingle with shades of sagebrush and leather, with citrus rind undertones that are all marvelously brought together in the glass. The palate is deep and seductive, showing a wonderful texture and tension that runs through the wine. Exotic spices and chocolate shavings mingle with suggestions of hoisin sauce, peat moss, wild blackberry cobbler and cran-orange flavors. Complex and highly gratifying at the eight year mark, this exotic ‘Gran Reserva’ will cellar well for decades — but is very hard to resist in its youth. Drink 2019-2040- 94 — 7 years ago

Rick Baumgarten

9.2

In our blind Chateauneuf tasting, which turned out to be all Pierre Usseglio, this was my number four of eight in the groups' number three. — 9 years ago

Marla Frederick

9.1

Really, really lovely. Mellow tones of hibiscus and almond, with just enough citrus to prevent complacency. The way I would like to feel for the next four years. If only they could bottle these emotions and I could summon them at will, even when alcohol is impermissible. Sigh. If only. Total Wine, buy four years' worth. I will be an optimist and not buy eight...or twelve. — 9 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.4

First time trying👍🏼
Definitely buying more

Winery Notes: "Blend: 77% Grenache Blanc, 18% Picpoul, 5% Rousanne. This is our second Adelaida Vineyard bottling. Paso Robles is the epicenter of new Rhone plantings in California. We are fortunate to be able to source grapes from Adelaida Vineyards, who planted grenache blanc, roussanne, viognier and picpoul blanc among other more established varieties such as grenache noir, syrah and mourvedre (or mataro). Their vineyard lies on the limestone hills of the Adelaida District, thirteen miles from the Pacific coast. Warm days, cool nights and balanced vines promote great acidity in the grapes. Fermentation: Whole-cluster pressed. Natural primary finished February 2020, and secondary finished by April 2020. Barrels: 88% barrel aged in air-dried American oak barrels; 8% new, 9% three-year-old; 61% four-year-old, 10% five-year-old, 12% six-year-old. 12% concrete tank aged. Aging: Eight months in barrel." — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Tommy Hughes who is the Finca Decero Winemaker arranged a four course lunch with eight of his wines. It was an amazing afternoon.

On the nose, ripe; dark cherries, cherries, blue fruit, blackberries, black & plum, dust, vanilla, beautiful, fresh red flowers and violets.

On the palate; the body is full & bold. The tannins are firm and sticky. The fruits are ripe, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, cherries, strawberries as it opens, there is definitely dust and more of a presence than Rutherford, vanilla, touch of caramel, chocolate, dry crushed rock powder, very soft leather, just a hint of fresh tobacco and dark red florals for days. Acidity like a waterfall and a gorgeous, elegant, sexy, ripe, well balanced finish that lasts minutes.

Photos of, the restaurant terrace view from Finca Decero. The first course, Citrus infused Quinoa, Sun Dried Tomatoes, with melon Sorbet. It was delicious! My wine partner for over 15+ great years and a shot of all the wines for sale in their shop. — 8 years ago

Rick Baumgarten

9.6

In our blind Chateauneuf tasting, which turned out to be all Pierre Usseglio, this was my number two of eight and the groups' number four. (This is a Parker 100 point wine) — 9 years ago

Louis Schofield

Sommelier/Wine Merchant East End Cellars

9.3

Straight negroamaro — 10 years ago

Greg Helmer

8.9

Found this one after four years. Smooth rich flavors as expected for an eight year old cab. Rich but not that bold. — 10 years ago