This is superb. Laser-like focus, zingy acidity, minerality, but richness and gulpability in an extra brut. I love this champagne.
2 Likes
We sold every bottle we got in a heartbeat…I should have held on to a few.
Will it age?
Won’t be around long enough to find out
I bought a fair bit but found it very heavy so decided to leave mine for a few years.
I had to Google what this bottling was. I must be out of the loop, hadn’t come across it yet. Sounds like something right up my ally, but pretty sparse at retail.
Interesting; we found the weightlessness to be a nice feature
Yeah don’t think it was widely distributed but I really like it.
Delicious.
I’ve very much enjoyed the bottles we’ve had. Didn’t necessarily find it “weighty” but did feel it was quick rich. Either way we’ve had a hard time keeping our hands off it and only have a single bottle left that I don’t expect will last long.
+1
Maybe I’m in the minority here, but I thought it was only OK giving the price point, and didn’t buy more when given the opportunity. I thought it was a bit unbalanced with the combination of acidity and richness not blending well together. Maybe it needs some more bottle age.
Sounds like some UK retailers are starting to offer the PN VZ 16 on pre-arrival. Anyone heard anything around the release?
VZ16
93 pts Antonio Galloni “Soft, open-knit and wonderfully inviting PN VZ 16 is a worthy follow up to the sublime 2015 that launched this new Blanc de Noirs in the Bollinger range last year. Sweet red cherry, Mirabelle, spice, mint and dried flowers all grace this wonderfully translucent, expressive Blanc de Noirs. North-facing sites in Verzenay that confer tension and energy make up about half the blend, with wines from Aÿ, Bouzy and Louvois playing supporting roles. Vinification is done in equal parts steel and oak. This release is based on 2016 (50% of the blend), with reserve wines that go back to 2006, including 23% from reserve magnums. Readers who enjoy Blanc de Noirs will adore the PN VZ 16. I find the interplay of vibrancy and the creamier notes that are so typical of the house style to be incredibly appealing. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.”
VZ15
“Bright and vibrant on the palate, the PN VZ 15 captures all of the Pinot richness that is such a Bollinger signature but with the freshness and verve that make Pinots from Verzenay so distinctive. Rich red fruit, mint, dried flower and spice notes play off bright acids and veins of saline-drenched minerals in a display of aromas, flavors and textures that dazzle all the senses. Think of it as a baby VVF, but with the tension of Verzenay. The blend is approximately 50% Verzenay and 50% Aÿ, Bouzy and Louvois, done about half in steel and half in oak. This release is based on the 2015 vintage (50% of the blend), with reserve wines that go back to 2009, including 20% from the reserve magnums Bollinger is so famous for. This bottle was disgorged in November 2019 and dosage is 7 grams per liter, about average for Bollinger today. As I have written before, many of Champagne’s big houses have embraced the ambitious spirit of grower Champagne with their recent bottlings, wines that often place more emphasis on variety and place than the flagship blended cuvées that are the core of what Champagne has represented in the past. This is yet another example. The new PN VZ 15 is superb, and sharply priced as well, something that is not often the case with new grande marque Champagnes these days. Don’t miss it.”
94/100. Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Dec. 2019
1 Like
For me, it was a pleasant enough Champagne on its own, but extraordinary with Chinese food particularly Cantonese. And one of the few wines that works with Pekin Duck (sans cucumber).
have you considered moutai for your duck? What grows together, goes together.
I did, but the thought got lost when I started retching.
I got mine from eataly for a really good price, 70 something; maybe check it out if you stop by there.
Just had the VZ15 for the first time this weekend and tasted again yesterday.
just okay and not a good QPR, in fact, a poor QPR IMHO