Taste Notes
Primary Notes: Cherry Raspberry Clove Apple / Pear Hibiscus
Secondary Notes:
Tertiary Notes: Mushroom
Wine Structure
Body: Medium -
Dryness: Dry
Acidity:
Tannin:
Alcohol (%):
Origin & Awards
Origin: Champagne, France
Maker: Bollinger Champagne
Grape: Pinot Noir / Pinot Nero
Fermentation: Low Carbon Footprint
Awards:
Serving Recommendations
Decanting:
Serving Temperature: Best enjoyed at 8-10 degrees
Asian Food Pairing:
Western Food Pairing: Grilled lobster, oysters
Description
Champagne Bollinger B13
Champagne Bollinger B13 is a unique signature of the 2013 vintage by Bollinger - a crystalline wine to express the oenological and environmental values held by Champagne Bollinger.
It has a beautiful colour with golden undertones. The opening notes include ripe fruits, fruit jellies and almond paste, leading to aromas of mirabelle plum and vine peach. The texture of the champagne is rich and complex, it has a generous and elegant palate filled with flavours of pear, fresh almonds and tarte Tatin that are marked by the chiselled, mineral expression of Pinot Noir. The citrusy and candied lemon notes balances out the velvety persistence with a saline hint on the finish.
This Champagne is a reflection of a unique year with singular weather conditions, and the embodiment of the House’s oenological and environmental values. Champagne Bollinger has shaped the wine from this particularly late harvest into a vintage, and by doing so, also made a limited edition - B13, which stands for Bollinger 2013.
B13, Bollinger 2013, is a limited-edition Blanc de Noirs: just 5 Crus were chosen for the cuvée of which 92% Grand Cru & 8% Premiers Cru.
In 2013, the Champagne region faced unique weather conditions - a long winter punctuated by snow and frost - was one of the latest harvest’s since 1988. However despite these turbulent conditions, this vintage champagne embodies the excellence of the Bollinger vineyards on the Montagne de Reims and the resulting wine is delightful.
Bollinger are famed for their Pinot Noir so there is little surprise that its signature rich, open style shines through. The wonderful smoky, nutty and caramel tones imparted by Bollinger’s distinct ageing are already present and the reserve wines, aged for up to 7 years in magnum, add to its exceptional aromatic intensity.
12%
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- 95 Points
On this vintage with a prolonged growing season Bollinger played the cool card, choosing to go with a high proportion of Verzenay fruit (51%). The combination of cool vintage and cool terroir is truly attractive for a blanc de noirs. Already the nose has lovely zingy fruitiness to it, lemon custard, perfectly ripe peaches and elegant spicy and chalky tones. The ensemble comes across as elegant, super juicy and purely fruity. My favourite of Bollinger limited editions so far!
- 95 PointsA Blanc de Noirs from 5 villages where half consists of equal shares of Aÿ and Verzenay. As you know, Verzenay and Aÿ are the dominant villages in Bollinger's vintage champagnes. Verzenay is often the chalky and mineral-packed backbone of Bollinger's vintage construction and Aÿ yield the embraced generous rich Pinot Noir that gives Bollinger's wines such muscle strength. Here, the balance of the two is accompanied by red fruits and spices from the three other villages that is playing the second violin in this symphony. Because it is precisely the symphonic harmony that impresses most when the wine in large parts is youthfully fruity and anything but finished. Notes of strawberries, pineapple, banana and pear will over time be blown off for more nutty and powdery smoke dominated notes with great depth and wonderful seriousness. Personally, I will wait as long as I can before I open my own bottles to get the increasing depth of grilled hazelnut aroma that only storage can provide.
