What to expect

Benchmark Bollinger, fresh and vivacious, yet wonderfully resonant with all the depth and triumphant complexity that set Special Cuvée apart. A universe of complexity spans light years of black cherries, plums, fresh lemon zest, red apple, even the richness of ripe peach and fig.

Deep reserves allow primary fruit to speak articulately, reverberating softly with Bollinger’s signature notes of ginger, dried nectarine, mixed spice, toast, brioche, honey and roast nuts. For all this, it upholds achingly pristine citrus zest freshness throughout, riding on a vibrant acid line, culminating in a masterful crescendo of fine, frothing, salt and iodine-infused minerality. Black cherry fruit lingers long and profound. Special Cuvée remains one of the finest entry NVs on the planet.

Technical details

The complexity and richness of Special Cuvée is unparalleled among the entry-level nonvintage blends of every champagne house, short of ascending to the mesosphere of Krug. Its grand recipe explains why. A blend of 60% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay and 15% meunier, it’s built on incredible depth of 50–60% reserves.

Further intensity is derived from 30–40% of the blend in oak barrels, and a very high proportion of grand cru and premier cru fruit sources (more than 85%). Post-blending, the wine matures for between three and four years on lees in the cellar before it is disgorged and a light dosage of 8g/L is added. This cuvée represents 90% of the production of the house – more than 2.5 million bottles annually.

The Champagne Guide 2018-2019 – Tyson Stelzer

$269.99

Club Price $255.55 (?)

Single

Single – $269.99 AUD