Bollinger, Special Cuvée, Aÿ, Champagne NV

Bollinger was founded in 1829 in the village of Aÿ, in the heart of the Champagne region, and is still family-owned to this day. In 1884, it became the first Champagne to be awarded a Royal Warrant, which it has held ever since. Bollinger also has several iconic partnerships, in particular as the preferred Champagne of James Bond.

Famous for its use of Pinot Noir, reserve magnums and oak ageing techniques, the Bollinger wines are defined as much by the vines and the terroir as they are by the art of their blending and vinification. Sustainability and organic principles are key to the House’s philosophy, with Bollinger the first Champagne House to be awarded the Haute Valeur Environmentale certification.

Bollinger is one of the very Champagne houses to produce the majority of its own grapes, boasting 178 hectares of its vineyards, which are planted with 85% Grand and Premier Cru vines. Pinot Noir represents 60% of the House’s vineyards, corresponding to its exact proportion in the Special Cuvée blend.

The Special Cuvée itself is the result of the delicate blending between harvest grapes and a majority of reserve wines in magnums, including some aged for more than 15 years in Bollinger’s cellars. In 1911, Bollinger’s British agent gave the idea for the name Special Cuvée – “special” written the English way, without an accent. He thought the French expression “Brut sans année” was no match for such a subtle champagne…

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