Bollinger is a brand of champagne whose vintner history dates back to 1585. The famille de Villermont settled in Jules Lobe in the 18th century, where Renaudin, Jacques and Paul Bollinger developed the Renaudin Bollinger brand in February 1829. This was later abbreviated to
Bollinger in the 1960s. However in 1884 Bollinger became the official supplier to Queen Victoria, who sealed her approval of the champagne with a Royal warrant. The company was passed down through the dynasty until it was run by the wife of Jacques Bollinger, Lilley.
She is famous for having stated the following:
“I drink it when I am happy and when I am sad. Sometimes I drink it when I am alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and I drink it when I am, I never touch it unless I am thirsty”.
The vintage option of
Bollinger is Grand Annee, being produced after an exceptional harvest. The wine spends five years on its lees, then aged in corked bottles. It comes in rose form and it too like all champagnes is best appreciated in a champagne flute, and for a special gift you may wish to present a bottle of Bollinger alongside an
engraved champagne flutes. Special Cuvee is dominated by the Pinot grape variety but also includes 10% of reserve wines. It is allowed to age for up to 15 years. Its structure and complexity is challenged by RD from the Grand Cuvee range aged under cork and spending 8 years on its lees.
Date posted: 02/04/2010
