Bollinger has launched the second edition of their new “PN VZ” cuvée – a Blanc de Noirs predominantly from the Grand Cru village of Verzenay, in Champagne’s Montagne de Reims. This house has long been celebrated for the quality of its Pinot Noir, a skill arguably played out best in the ever-reliable Special Cuvée NV, which has always been around 70% Pinot Noir. This new cuvee pays homage to Pinot Noir (PN) in its pure form and nods to the current wave of interest in site-specific Champagnes. In this instance, Verzenay (VZ), which makes up 50% of the blend, is renowned for deep chalk soils and a generally cooler micro-climate than Bollinger’s well-known home plots in Aÿ, yielding wines of fine, lacy tension and crisp fruit. Based on the 2016 vintage, the PN VZ16 contains reserve wines which go back to 2006, adding a great deal of complexity and texture to the blend. As the only Blanc de Noirs in the Bollinger portfolio (save for the very rare and very expensive VVF), it won’t come as any surprise that the wine is masterfully detailed, with lovely red fruit and a really vibrant seam of acidity and floral lift, that in our view makes this release even more compelling than last year’s.
It seems that Bollinger has found its groove recently, with their La Grande Année Blanc and Rosé releases delivering real quality at attractive prices for a number of years now. At just £350 IB per 6 bottles, the PN VZ is another stylishly packaged, well-priced premium Champagne release destined to please.
Read More"Soft, open-knit and wonderfully inviting PN VZ 16 is a worthy follow up to the sublime 2015 that launched this new Blanc de Noirs in the Bollinger range last year. Sweet red cherry, Mirabelle, spice, mint and dried flowers all grace this wonderfully translucent, expressive Blanc de Noirs. North-facing sites in Verzenay that confer tension and energy make up about half the blend, with wines from Aÿ, Bouzy and Louvois playing supporting roles. Vinification is done in equal parts steel and oak. This release is based on 2016 (50% of the blend), with reserve wines that go back to 2006, including 23% from reserve magnums. Readers who enjoy Blanc de Noirs will adore the PN VZ 16. I find the interplay of vibrancy and the creamier notes that are so typical of the house style to be incredibly appealing. Dosage is 6 grams per liter." – 93pts, Antonio Galloni.
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