2013 Bollinger, La Cote aux Enfants, Blanc de Noirs, Grand Cru, Bottle (750ml), OWC

JS99 Complex aromas of pie crust, iron, chalk and hints of sweet strawberries. Some ginseng. Full-bodied with very fine bubbles that give it tension and focus. Extremely fine and polished tannins that go on and on. Dried lemons and oranges. Chalk at the end. Hints of bitterness in the finish with subtle botanicals. Made from a single vineyard monopole of pure pinot noir.

RP97 One of the greatest hits from this vineyard, Bollinger’s 2013 Blanc de Noirs La Côte aux Enfants has evolved beautifully, embodying everything that made the long, slow-ripening season so compelling. Harvested on October 5 from the vineyard’s cool, northwest-facing slope, the fruit attained 10.4% potential alcohol. Disgorged in March 2022 with a dosage of four grams per liter, it unfurls from the glass with a deep bouquet of pear, wildflower honey and white peach, mingling with spice and bread dough. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, tensile and racy, with a pure, chalky core that marries Bollinger’s characteristic Pinot Noir power with incisive acidity and underlying tension. Chiseled and mineral, it presents a stylistic counterpoint to the flavorful 2015—another highlight of this vertical—and, like its younger sibling, is well worth seeking out.

BH97 An even more reserved if noticeably more complex nose reluctantly displays its aromas of cool quinine, Granny Smith apples, spice, floral and vaguely exotic tea and toasty bread. The intense and lilting medium weight flavors are supported by a moderately firm but quite fine mousse on the strikingly complex, balanced, youthfully austere and strikingly long finale. This is at once very stylish and classy while offering excellent development potential. In short, this is stunningly good.