2003 by Bollinger
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed between 10 to 20 years from the vintage release, currently drinking at its peak of maturity and complexity.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted duck breast, lobster thermidor, or aged Comte cheese.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The year 2003 brought an unprecedented heatwave to Europe, resulting in the earliest harvest in Champagne since 1822. Rather than trying to force these extremely ripe grapes into their traditional Grande Annee blend, the house of Bollinger embraced the vintage's singular, dramatic personality. They crafted '2003 by Bollinger,' a unique, one-off cuvee that stands as a testament to the house's adaptability and mastery. Composed of approximately 74% Pinot Noir, mostly from the historic grand cru slopes of Ay, and 26% Chardonnay, this Champagne was fermented in old oak casks according to Bollinger's traditional methods. It represents a bold, opulent departure from their classic style, offering a rich, vinous profile characterized by baked fruits, honey, and toasted brioche, while retaining a surprising and elegant freshness.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1829 in the historic village of Aÿ by Jacques Bollinger, Paul Renaudin, and Hennequin de Villermont, Champagne Bollinger is one of the region's most prestigious and fiercely independent family-owned houses. Renowned for its Pinot Noir-dominated blends and traditional production methods, Bollinger uniquely ferments its vintage wines in seasoned oak casks and maintains an extensive library of reserve wines aged in magnums under cork. The house's signature style is defined by its rich complexity, structure, and depth, best exemplified by legendary cuvées like Special Cuvée, La Grande Année, and the late-disgorged R.D. Additionally, Bollinger preserves a rare piece of viticultural history with its ungrafted, pre-phylloxera Pinot Noir vines used to produce the ultra-exclusive Vieilles Vignes Françaises.