2015 Bollinger Blanc de Noirs La Côte aux Enfants

Full bottle 1,635 g. 100% Pinot Noir from the Côte des Enfant parcel in Aÿ acquired by Jacques Bollinger between 1926 and 1934. Fermented entirely in oak barrels. Disgorged February 2025. Dosage 4 g/l. Lively nose and real vibrancy. Extremely youthful and tense – just bursting with tightly coiled energy. Lots to chew on in the finish. One for the cellar. (JR)

Bollinger’s 2015 Blanc de Noirs La Côte aux Enfants, disgorged in February 2025 with a dosage of four grams per liter, stands as the most harmonious iteration to date—a conclusion reaffirmed during a retrospective tasting that included every vintage produced from the vineyard’s northwest-facing slope, which boasts a steep 39% gradient and shallow soils that have been cultivated according to organic practices since 2009. Harvested at 11.2% potential alcohol, with meticulous selection to exclude herbaceous elements—a refinement made possible through vinification in small barrels rather than large tanks—the wine opens with a flamboyant bouquet evocative of red grapefruit zest, pear, red plum, mango and pastry notes. On the palate, it is full-bodied and concentrated, with a vibrant core of fruit supported by racy acidity and ample chalky extract. The finish is long, saline and resonant, marked by Pinot Noir phenolics that just amplify its mineral signature. Denis Bunner notes that sugar accumulation occurred rapidly in this vintage, outpacing aromatic development, yet the decision to delay harvest proved fortuitous—and I wholeheartedly concur. This is an extroverted, characterful expression that aligns beautifully with Bollinger’s house style, and while it can be drunk with considerable satisfaction in the near term, it promises a broad window of enjoyment.

For the fourth consecutive year, the grapes from the north-west facing side of the hill produce La Côte aux Enfants Champagne. Known as a challenging year due to drought related issues, in 2015 the site’s chalky subsoil with thin topsoil came to rescue, showing a strong terroir imprint in the wine. The nose opens with sweet, sun kissed fruit of quince, orange blossom and golden raisins, completely free of the vegetal notes troubling many of the vintage’s wines. There is quite the contrast to the palate, which comes with scintillating vibrancy and energizingly prickly texture. There is immaculate saline freshness to the palate, into which the bitterness from the phenolics contributes. Refined and precise, this is the best edition of La Côte aux Enfants Champagne yet.