2016 Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Francaises

The recently released 2016 Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes Françaises—harvested on September 18th at a relatively modest 10.2% potential alcohol—has turned out beautifully. It unites the richness of Pinot Noir and the concentration of old vines with the freshness imparted by the growing season and recent disgorgement. This balance serves to temper some of the exuberance that VVF can display in warmer vintages. Disgorged in February 2025 with a dosage of four grams per liter, the wine unfurls from the glass with a deep bouquet of orange zest, crisp pear and peach, mingling with notes of freshly baked bread, nuts and spices. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, expansive and multidimensional, with tangy acidity and a pillowy mousse. Generous and intense yet impeccably harmonious, it culminates in a long, resonant finish. Those fortunate enough to secure one or two of the mere 1,000 bottles produced will likely face a dilemma: when to open it. Promising a superb drinking experience, it is likely to show at its full generosity between 17 and 25 years after the vintage. As is customary these days, Vieilles Vignes Françaises is sourced from two walled parcels of ungrafted Pinot Noir vines—Clos Saint-Jacques and Clos Chaudes-Terres—located adjacent to the Bollinger estate. These vineyards were replanted in the 1970s using massal selections from Aÿ and should not be mistaken for survivors of the pre-phylloxera era. While the soils here are not sandy—an attribute that enabled vine survival in certain other Champagne sites—it is most likely the enclosing walls that have thus far shielded these vines from phylloxera infestation.

The 2016 Vieilles Vignes Françaises is being released ahead of the 2015, probably a wise choice. Airy and gracious in feel, the 2016 offers up attractive scents of baked apple, pasty, dried pear and spice. Hints of tangerine peel, jasmine and passion fruit appear later, adding a dimension of tropical nuance that is quite attractive. The 2016 doesn't quite have the textural resonance of the very finest vintages, but it makes up for that with its persistence and long, sublime finish.