Almost everyone knows James Bond's famous line, "shaken, not stirred," obviously how he prefers his martini, not wine. But believe it or not, in the original books written by Ian Fleming, James Bond actually enjoys Champagne more often than martinis. And what was his Champagne of choice? Bollinger, one of the Champagne region's greatest family owned Champagne houses.
Champagne Bollinger, founded in 1829, is one of Champagne's few remaining family-owned Grande Marque houses. Their Special Cuvée is the result of the delicate blending between harvest grapes and a majority of reserve wines, including some aged in magnums for more than 15 years in Bollinger's cellars before they are blended into the final cuvee.
Cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation, it is a magnificent blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier. Over 85% of the blend is comprised of Grand and Premier crus.
On this night, my fiancé and I paired the Bollinger Special Cuvee with some lovely oysters rockefeller that she loves so much. The apple and pear notes coupled with the firm acidity were the perfect match for the oysters. Fresh and lively as always, this NV is anything but average and well worth the money.
A perfect selection to pop and pour over the holidays and New Year’s Eve!
NV BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVEE - $59.99 - 93 points Wine Spectator
“This is firm and tightly knit, with a backbone of steely acidity, showing a fine, creamy texture that imparts an overall sense of finesse to the layers of poached apple, mille-feuille, black currant, kumquat and honey, showing hints of ground spice and smoky mineral. Drink now through 2020.” – Wine Spectator