Thanks to Xiao P for sharing this nice Bolly!                                                           Photo by Johnny

Bollinger La Grande Annee 2000 Brut Champagne (750ml)

Composition: 63% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay

Disgorged in Jun., 2010

Tasted in end Jan., 2012 

Served upon popping the cork.

Lemon gold. Fine bead.

Firm, assertive bouquet right in your face, with dense layers of yeast, peppery mineral, biscuit, baked apple, red and dark fruit…

Almost saturatedly rich on the palate (biscuit, baked apple, dark fruit, nut toffee and milk chocolate) yet surprisingly soft and silky, making it caressing and all too easy to swallow! Even more persuasive is the long, resonant aftertaste of nut toffee and milk chocolate, gradually penetrated by spicy complexities.

It constantly unfolds/evolves in the glass, showing off nuances of seaside note, walnut fragrance, mineral, spice, game, oily wood, dark fruit, nut toffee and milk chocolate. Sometimes the bouquet demonstrate a penetrating depth (sea, walnut and mineral) -- very Chardonnay; but most of the time, the aromas are rich, broad and dark -- Pinot Noir in dominance. The taste simply sweeps the floor with honeyed richness and silky smoothness.

Around 40 minutes after being opened, both the bouquet and the palate take on a slightly plummy tone.

Welcoming, generous and caressing – this one is hard to resist. Since it’s already so satisfying and there doesn’t seem to be much undeveloped extract, I don’t feel the need to age it much further.

Last but not least, do not over-chill this one. It definitely shows better when warmed up in the glass.