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A blend of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, this is opulent and full bodied, with toast and wood flavors. Rich and ripe, this beautiful wine is generous and still young, with just a touch of bitterness at the end.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2004 Grande Année Brut was disgorged in November 2013 and offers a clear, very refined, and complex though still closed bouquet with fruity aromas of fresh and stewed apples, yellow grapefruit, kaki, walnuts, tobacco, herbal tea, nougat and spicy flavors; everything is discreet here, subtle, perfectly melted together and smoky, very smoky. On the palate, this Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend wine is highly complex and elegant, firmly structured and quite long. This is an excellent Champagne.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP(disgorged January, 2013): Light, bright gold. Powerful orchard and pit fruit aromas are complemented by smoky lees, iodine, chamomile and buttered toast. At once fleshy and energetic, offering deeply pitched poached pear, peach pit and brioche flavors and a suave floral element. Finishes smoky and very long, with mounting spiciness and lingering floral and vanilla notes.Vinous Media | 94 VMFirm, with well-cut acidity and a fine texture, this is aromatic, delivering a skein of ground spice and graphite notes that mesh seamlessly with the flavors of black currant, black cherry, toasted almond, financier, honey and smoky mineral. Offers a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2024. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis is cool, refined and wonderfully complex with that moderately aged yeasty character that contrasts nicely with the beautifully fresh citrus, green apple and soft floral scents. The bead of the supporting mousse is quite fine but like the 2002 R.D. it’s firm and imparts plenty of punch to the precise middle weight flavors that possess the same complexity and refinement that is displayed by the nose, all wrapped in a crisp and dry but not particularly austere finish. This is terrific and while it could easily be enjoyed now I would be inclined to hold it for another 2 to 4 years first as it clearly seems to be on the way up; indeed the last sip was more interesting than the first.Burghound | 93 BHThe 2004 Bollinger “Grande Année” is comprised of a blend of sixty-six percent pinot noir and thirty-four percent chardonnay, with all of the vins clairs for this cuvée aged in older barrels. Eighty-eight percent of the blend hails from grand crus, with the remainder premier cru, and the wine is absolutely stellar. The deep and youthfully complex nose delivers a superb mix of apple, hazelnuts, fresh-baked bread, a lovely base of soil, a touch of fresh nutmeg and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and absolutely rock solid at the core, with broad shoulders, impeccable focus and balance, elegant mousse, snappy acids, just a touch of oak influence from the barrel aging and excellent length and grip on the powerful and still fairly primary finish. This is a young and outstanding example of the vintage, though it does have just a touch of that old school, Bollinger oxidative quality about it as well in the mid-palate. (Drink between 2018 - 2035)John Gilman | 93+ JG

Amazing aromas of sweet uncooked pie crust with almonds. Then you smell dried apples, apricots and pineapple. Grilled fruits, too. Full-bodied. So tangy and energetic with sizzling acidity and creamy tannins. Flavorful and lightly oxidized at the finish. Smacking my lips. Agile. Ginger and spices. A touch of bitter complexity with some salinity. Extreme character that grabs your attention. 13 years and six months aging on the lees with cork. 3 grams dosage. 71% pinot noir and 29% chardonnay. Don’t serve too cold. Drink or hold.JS | 99 JSWhen I was tasting Bollinger’s brilliant Grande Année in this vintage, I was trying to imagine how good the 2008 Extra-Brut R. D. would be, as the style of the vintage seems almost perfectly adapted to this cuvée. Four years later, we have the answer, and the wine is brilliant. Disgorged in 2022, it’s more reserved out of the gates than the dramatic Grande Année was on release, unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, orange peel, freshly baked bread, subtle hints of fino sherry, wet stones and macadamia nut. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a deep core of fruit that’s animated by racy acids and a refined pinpoint mousse, concluding with a bone-dry finish. Extremely harmonious and full of youthful energy, it’s the finest R. D. of the decade and one that will richly reward a bit of additional age on cork. In style, the most obvious comparison is with the 1996, but the 2008 is more integrated and harmonious on release. These bottles were disgorged late last year with three grams per liter dosage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2008 Champagne R.D. Extra Brut is chiseled, powerful, and packaged with a chalky mineral texture. Made from 70% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, with 3 grams per liter dosage, it pours a bright straw yellow hue, while its aromatics are more mineral-tinged and feel a touch more noble and upright in character. Aromatically, it opens to notes of toasted almond, preserved Meyer lemon, brothy saline, and vibrant fresh fruit. Displaying tension and grace, it has the richness of Bollinger but is more upright, with an electric mineral energy that courses through the finish, which lasts for days. Mouthwatering and long, it’s a stunner. It needs more time to harmonize all its components, but this is a wine to cellar for the ages, and I think this is going to be a vintage of RD we talk about for a very, very long time. Cellar it if you can and drink 2026-2056. Disgorged December 2022.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDEmerging like a genie from a bottle, so full of life and magic, the Bollinger R.D. 2008 unwinds gradually to reveal aromatic layer after layer of white peach, Meyer lemon confit, kumquat, wafer cookies, wet stones and acacia honey intermingling with bready and faintly oxidative, nutty notes. Medium to full-bodied and full of high-toned energy, the palate is wonderfully silky and lithe with a super fine, creamy mousse full of stimulating acid freshness, exquisite saline intensity, and a chalky finish with a beautiful citrus peel note. A blend of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, it was disgorged 09 December 2022 and finished Extra Brut with a three gram per liter dosage. As beautiful as it is now, it has many years of excellent drinking ahead.The Wine Independent | 98+ TWIThis focused Champagne is all about the graceful definition of power, with an up-front, austere edge to the steely acidity, which is softened by the fine, plush mousse and well-integrated with the rich profile. Toasted hazelnut, crystallized honey, peach skin and nectarine flavors expand on the palate, accented by hints of ground ginger, oyster shell and preserved lemon, with a racy streak of salinity that drives the mouthwatering finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged October 2022. Drink now through 2038. 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSBright in colour with gold reflections, the aromatics are immediately captivating, with marzipan, acacia, apricot and patisserie all vying for attention. It’s impossibly youthful yet reassuringly mature, a bread basket of delicious contradiction. Cerebral seduction ensues on the palate, with dried fruits, bergamot and lime joining the party, then come the hazelnut notes – which have been identified as a leitmotif for the vintage – and a clean, almost chalky finish to restore rigorous harmony. Precision in no way undermines generosity, and generosity in no way undermines potential. A very fine piece of work all in all, tasted from magnum, alongside bottle and jeroboam. Disgorged: November 2022. Dosage: 3g/L.Decanter | 97 DECBollinger’s 2008 R.D. is a powerful, vinous Champagne. Apricot, dried pear, tangerine oil, hazelnut, dried flowers, chamomile and brioche all race across the palate. The 2008 boasts notable depth and textural intensity, with a feeling of phenolic, almost tannin-driven grip from the Pinot that propels the finish.At times the R.D. is quite exotic, even if there is a good kick of energy from the bright, salivating acids and low dosage. The 2008 R.D. is very much a Champagne for the dinner table, a wine that benefits immensely from aeration. In 2008, the blend comprises fruit from 18 villages, 71% Pinot Noir, mostly from Aÿ and Verzenay and 29% Chardonnay, mostly from Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant. Dosage is 3 grams of dosage. I would give this a few more years in bottle to fully come together. Disgorged: October 28, 2022.Vinous Media | 96 VMNo written review provided. | 95 W&SHere too the slightly more expressive nose is wonderfully complex with its aromas of citrus peel, yeast, acacia and a vague hint of red fruit, in particular strawberry. There is excellent volume and richness to the full-bodied flavors as the long aging on the lees is very much in evidence on the moderately dry, powerful and equally complex finale. For my taste this is largely mature and while it will hold for several more decades, I don’t see much if any further upside development potential.Burghound | 94 BH

This goes from zero to 60 right out of the gate, with an intense spine of acidity driving tightly meshed flavors of crushed black currant, ground coffee, candied grapefruit peel and toasted almond. The profile expands on the palate, carried by the fine, raw silk–like mousse. Richly aromatic and expressive from start to lasting, spiced finish. Disgorged July 2019. Drink now through 2037. 850 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSStill young for a wine of this caliber, this rich Champagne has an immense future ahead of it. The freshness of the wine will mature into the rich toastiness that is such a hallmark of this brand. Oak fermentation and aging have added to the great promise of this fine wine. Drink from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDisgorged in July 2019, Bollinger's 2012 Brut La Grande Année is showing well, offering up an incipiently complex bouquet of crisp yellow orchard fruit, fresh peach, orange oil, toasted walnuts and dried apricot that's still quite reserved with less than a year on cork. Full-bodied, deep and muscular, the 2012 is blockier and broader-shouldered than its 2008 predecessor, with a weightier and even more concentrated palate built around a bright spine of acidity, concluding with a chalky finish that carries appreciably dry extract. This isn't quite as elegant as the exquisite 2008, but it is a superb effort and obviously built to age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2012 Grande Année is vibrant and wonderfully nuanced. Citrus peel, orchard fruit, brioche, dried flowers and chamomile are all finely knit in a Grand Année built on energy and persistence more than size. Readers will find a restrained Grand Année in 2012. There is plenty of the textural richness that is such a signature of the house style, but I am also struck by the wine's freshness. Best of all, the 2012 will drink well right out of the gate. It is quite expressive today, even in the early going. (Originally published in August 2020).Vinous Media | 94 VM(Bollinger Brut - La Grande Année Red) A markedly restrained and decidedly cool yet strikingly elegant nose combines notes of spiced apple, pear, white flowers, citrus rind and a background suggestion of brioche. The wonderfully vibrant and intense flavors are supported by a notably fine effervescence that perhaps isn't quite as firm as one might think for such a young wine. This classy and ultra-refined effort should drink well earlier than usual though I underscore that it definitely is not at its peak. With that said, it could easily be enjoyed now for its youthful exuberance. Lovely. (Drink starting 2024).Burghound | 93 BHTexture is key here, with a fruit basket of indulgence tempting the senses, the predominant Pinot Noir adding plums, cherry and hints of cedar to the creamy, toasty core that has been bequeathed by the barrel fermentation. Energetic, vital and brimming with potential, its 8g/l of sugar is lightly worn. This is a seductive Grande Année, hard to resist in its youth but far from lacking gravitas and matière to secure a happy development. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DEC

Pie crust with brioche, lemon meringue, lime leaf, and blackboard chalk. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, with terrific structure and incredibly complex on the finish with seaweed and umami. Sea breeze, iodine and oyster finish. Superb wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay UV-SL comes from largely Goldridge soils in parcels owned and managed by the Valdez family (UV being the initials of Ulises Valdez, Aubert’s frequent vineyard collaborator, who died in 2018). There are 2,000 cases of this elixir, which offers up classic notes of toasted hazelnuts, white peaches and citrus zest. It’s full-bodied, rich and opulent yet contained and controlled, with great silky length and energy. Aubert describes the oak thusly: "The oak is perfect. It just kisses you with a bit of vanilla and cookie dough." The wine is certainly delicious, and thinking back on it, I wonder if my rating is a bit conservative.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is one of the more exotic wines in the range. Initially a bit ethereal, the 2021 opens beautifully on the mid-palate and finish, where it shows tremendous breadth and notable mineral intensity. The UV-SL is not quite as obvious as some of the other wines in this range, but its pedigree is evident. There’s real density here, and tons of class.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM

A great chardonnay that shows opulence with structure, with lemon drops, cooked apple, dried peaches, flint and oyster shell. Some pumice and basalt. It’s medium-bodied at the beginning but it builds on the palate with superb depth and power. Spicy at the end, like Hunan peppers. Incredible character. Complex with a capital C. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Cuvee Cathleen comes from a single 6-acre block in Kistler vineyard that faces the afternoon sun. It needs a lot of coaxing to lure out evocative notes of lemon verbena, lime leaves, and sea spray, giving way to nuances of fresh apples and Bosc pears with a touch of Marcona almonds. The medium to full-bodied palate is so, so tightly knit, with soft-spoken mineral and savory nuances accenting the bold citrus and apple flavors, finishing very long and energetic. Chardonnay doesn’t get better than this.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIThe 2021 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvée Cathleen is one of the best wines I have ever tasted from Kistler. Complex and multi-faceted, the 2021 offers up an exciting mélange of ripe orchard fruit, dried flowers, mint, spice and anise. There’s an energy to the 2021, a feeling of noble complexity, that is so alluring.Vinous Media | 98 VMThe 2021 Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen is bright and crystalline. Scents of oyster shell and saline give way to white peaches, almonds and spring honey. The light-bodied palate is ethereal and vibrant with coiled, mineral-driven fruit and a surprisingly mouth-coating texture. Give it a few years in bottle to unwind.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPA youthful yellow hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvee Cathleen is sunny with a bit of white pepper spice and aromas of green tea and citrus rind. Full-bodied, with good richness and a more pithy texture, it’s ripe with green almond, melon rind, mushroom earth, and pear. It‘s long on the palate and the same bit of grippy texture the Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard has. Drink it over the next 10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDOffers a deep, complex mix of butterscotch, peach, marmalade and lime zest notes, with a touch of lemon confit, lemon balm and caramelized pineapple. The frame is dense and firmly juicy, with details of nutmeg and toasted almond on the finish. Drink now. 425 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Light golden green color with unique aromas of sliced lemon, salted caramel and flint. It’s full and oily yet at the same time dynamic and very fresh, with sliced citrus, tarte tatin, and dried fruit. Loads of lemon zest. What a finish. Keeps on changing in the glass. Flamboyant. Savory. Give it until 2025 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard flies out with vibrant notes of lime leaves, lemon curd, and grapefruit oil with touches of wet pebbles, coriander seed, and chalk dust. The full-bodied palate is bright and shiny with the liveliness coming from the citrus fruits, yet the acidity is absolutely seamless, finishing long and minerally.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIDense, broad and concentrated, offering notes of preserved lemon, honeysuckle, caramelized apple and salted butterscotch. At the core there’s a purity to the peach, nectarine and mango flavors, with apple and pear accents. This white’s vibrant acidity keeps the flavors focused and light on their feet. Drink now through 2037. 475 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2021 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard offers a beguiling mix of fruit intensity framed by strong mineral, soil-driven tons. Lemon confit, tangerine peel, chamomile, graphite and dried herbs fill out the layers in a Chardonnay marked by intense minerality, strong citrus character and fabulous balance.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2021 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard is generous and spicy this year. Flinty tones give way to perfumed white peach, lime candy, citrus blossoms and honeycomb. The medium-bodied palate combines ripe, peachy fruit with matchstick nuances. It has a gentle chalkiness to the texture, bright bursts of acidity and a long, detailed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPA rich golden hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard is aromatic with a bit of flinty reduction and gives way to sunny fruit of ripe peach, fresh flowers, and preserved citrus. Ripe and full-bodied, it has a ripe texture and notes of lush golden apples, hay, toasted spice, and bit of green almond on the finish. Drink it over the next 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

The 2021 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch has expressive notes of honeycomb, ripe orchard fruit of peach, white mushroom, and fresh spice. Full-bodied, it has a more rounded and creamy texture on the palate, with lemon curd, citrus oil, and ripe apple. Its pristine fruit holds good freshness, and this very pretty wine has a distilled quality that makes I feel like it will last forever. This is a gorgeous wine to enjoy over the next 12-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch is buzzing with energy and promises a long life in the cellar. It features scents of golden apples, cashew, honeysuckle and beeswax with streaks of matchstick. The light-bodied palate’s expansive, satiny texture is foiled by its mouthwatering acidity, and it offers concentrated, perfumed fruit that lingers impressively on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2021 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch bursts with bold notes of key lime pie, kumquats, and citron blossom, leading to hints of brine, dill seed, and white pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers tight-knit citrus and stony flavors, with a crisp backbone and long, wonderfully pure finish.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIIntense aromas of ripe apple, oyster shell, pie crust dough, and lemon rind. Some candied apple and flint. It’s medium-bodied with lovely fruit and medium phenolics that hold it all together. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSA complex white, offering notes of flint, nutmeg, cardamom and baked apples, with details of grilled Meyer lemon, vanilla custard and toasted, salted hazelnut. All of these flavors are balanced and seamless, with plenty of momentum and a fresh thread of acidity. Drink now. 1,050 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2021 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch is the most accessible wine in this flight of Chardonnays. Tropical accents meld into orange confit, hazelnut, butter and sweet spice. The flavors are pretty intense, and yet the 2021 remains wonderfully light on its feet, with pretty floral top notes that add tons of charm and sheer appeal.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2021 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard needs a little shaking before it prances out with showy notes of fresh apricots, Golden Delicious apples, and ginger ale, followed by hints of honeysuckle, nutmeg, and lime cordial. The full-bodied palate is super intense with concentrated citrus, stone fruit, and gingery layers, supported by an amazing backbone of freshness and a silken texture, finishing especially long and minerally. This is amazing.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIA very wild and tropical Hudson chard with distinctive aromas and flavors of dried pineapple, pear and cooked lemon with some pie crust. Plenty of phenolic tension, too. Flavorful finish. Beeswax. Zip of acidity at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is bright and effusive as it soars from the glass. Yellow flowers, orchard fruit, mint, spice and a kiss of French oak lend notable aromatic presence. Deceptive in its mid-weight feel, the 2021 is classic Hudson in its flavor profile and overall feel.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is powerful yet seamless, although it’s youthfully coiled and deserves plenty of time to unfold in bottle. It’s savory on the nose to begin, with wafts of iodine that give way to fresh citrus and peach. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and mouth-coating with concentrated lime-and-flint flavors counterbalanced by vibrant acidity, and it has a long, flavorful finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPTaking on a sunnier feel aromatically, the 2021 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is ripe with attractive aromas of orchard fruit, ripe lemon balm, and fresh herbs. The palate is ripe and full-bodied, with a rounded mouthfeel and notes of ripe apricot, orange, and fresh flowers as well as a bit of toasted spice. It’s approachable now or over the next 6-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDRich and succulent, with flavors of caramelized apple, grilled pineapple, apricot and ripe, juicy peach, plus a drizzle of wildflower honey. Notes of salted, ripe melon linger on the finish, which gains plenty of momentum, with vibrant acidity. Drink now. 1,050 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Very aromatic and friendly and cuddly with apple pie, oyster shell, caramel and candied lemon character on both the nose and palate. Medium to full body. Vibrant acidity makes this energetic and lively. Dried apple and pear as well as ripe apple and toasted bread with butter and cinnamon. Rock salt. Love this. One of the best Hyde Chardonnays I have tasted. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is singular and expressive! Saline, lime candy, chalk and lemongrass aromas are underpinned by a pleasurable smoky reduction, and as it spends time in the glass, it continues to blossom and gain aromatic intensity. The palate is ethereal, seamless and silky, with a deep core of candied citrus fruit and chalky nuances that define the very long, very powerful finish. This vibrant, characterful Hyde Chardonnay will be long-lived in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA slightly bright yellow, the 2021 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard has very pretty aromatics of lime blossom, fresh pear, and saline, and like the other Chardonnays from Kistler, it has a savory element to it. Medium to full-bodied, with a more delicate and ethereal nature, its floral perfume coaxes throughout the palate, with melon rind, white peach, and a hint of salty earth. Delivering fresh acidity and purity, it has fantastic lift and a more Chablis-like texture, with a note of crushed rock on the finish. Drink it over the next 10 or more years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis inviting, stunning mix of power and elegance opens with an apple tart note, offering whiffs of smoke, salted caramel and peach preserves, plus a drizzle of wildflower honey, nougat and Greek yogurt. Dried, crystalized fruit notes join a touch of crunchy sea salt, adding tension to the fresh thread of acidity. Everything is wrapped up in a luxuriously silky and smooth texture, with an epic finish. Drink now through 2035. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2021 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard gallops out with bold notes of crunchy pears, yellow apples, and lemongrass tea, followed by hints of baking bread, wet slate, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly wound with impressive tension and loads of soft-spoken, mineral layers, finishing with a zesty lift.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThe 2021 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is laced with the essence of tangerine oil, hazelnut, passionfruit, spice and lightly honeyed notes. All the exotic signature of Hyde come through loud and clear, but there’s tons of energy too. I especially like how this opens with time. This is beautifully done.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2021 Chardonnay Laguna Ridge Vineyard is only produced in magnums and this is the 6th vintage release. After a little swirling, it springs from the glass with eager-to-please notes of fresh grapefruit, lemon tart, and juicy pears, followed by hints of lime blossoms, mandarin peel, and jasmine tea. The medium to full-bodied palate offers fantastic tension with multilayered, tightly wound citrus and floral notes, finishing very long with loads of mineral and zesty fireworks.The Wine Independent | 99 TWIThe 2021 Chardonnay Laguna Ridge Vineyard is vibrant yet powerful. Bottled only in magnums, it opens slowly to wafts of matchstick and roasted almonds before revealing its core of lemon and apricot fruit. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated, expansive flavors that blossom dramatically from almonds to peach, spring honey and spice, yet its vibrant acidity creates a shimmery feel. It has a luxurious, satiny texture and a hauntingly long finish. Wow!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPOnly produced in magnum, the 2021 Chardonnay Laguna Ridge Vineyard is pure and layered with aromatics of lemon curd, lime blossom, petrol, and green apple. Medium to full-bodied, with wonderful focus and tension, it’s all about that green apple. Its crunchy fruit and fresh, salty citrus make it absolutely delicious, and it offers exceptional balance and length, with ripe, sweet citrus that’s irresistible. Drink it over the next 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Laguna Ridge (bottled only in magnum) captures all the best the year had to give. Rich, explosive and wonderfully deep, the 2021 exudes concentration and structure from the very first taste. Crushed rocks, dried lemon peel, white flowers, mint, herbs and incense all build in the glass, with a light touch of reduction that extends into the finish. This complex, dynamic Chardonnay is a stunning wine by any measure.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis stunning white jumps out of the glass aromatically, offering notes of nutmeg, marzipan, white flowers, peach preserves and Meyer lemon. The flavors and aromas continue to unfold, with wave after wave of toasted, salted almond, ripe melon and shortbread details, plus a touch of vanilla bean. The texture is succulent and fleshy, showing off a vibrant, pure thread of acidity. Drink now through 2035. 212 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe purity of fruit here is impressive with cooked apple, lemon and flint with some pie crust dough. The palate is full and complete with everything there but nothing sticking out. Dried apple, cooked lemon rind and flint with crushed oyster shell. Dried limes at the end. Give it three to four years to open. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JS

A very fine and polished chardonnay with focus, polished phenolics and a refined nature. It’s medium-bodied with beautiful fruit. Hints of salted caramel to the cooked apple and pineapple flavors. It’s poised and gorgeous and shows you what it has in a sophisticated way. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is SO spicy - it sashays out with opulent scents of candied ginger, allspice, and cinnamon, giving way to a profound core of juicy nectarines, apple pie, and Bosc pears, plus a hint of orange blossom. The full-bodied palate is decadently expressive, delivering loads of baking spice and warm pear flavors supported by seamless freshness, finishing long and decadent.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIAromatically the 2021 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard exhibits notes of gravelly earth, with Meyer lemon, and white flowers. On the palate, it takes on so much focus, with vibrant energy, and feels more linear in its approach, with driving citrus, lime, bright green apple, and a touch of nuttiness on the finish. It’s long and driving. Drink 2025-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard features alluring tones of spring honey, panna cotta, crushed almonds, jasmine and a core of white peach. The medium-bodied palate has a deeply concentrated core of peachy fruit balanced by a gentle chalkiness and refreshing bursts of tangy acidity. Powerful yet energetic, it has a long life ahead.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2021 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is packed with the essence of tangerine oil, hazelnut, dried flowers, herbs and ripe apricot. Potent and layered, the Stone Flat is super-impressive right out of the gate. It’s another wine with real density. All the elements are dialed up in 2021. Stone Flat is distinguished from Durell, which is adjacent, because of the use of 420A rootstock (versus 3309 at Durell). That, in the theory, results in a wine with lower pH and therefore higher acidity, but that is not the impression conveyed in tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMRich and succulent, offering notes of flint, grilled peach, dried apricot and mango at the core, with a strong thread of crushed rock, plus a hint of ripe, salted melon. Lemon curd and white flower accents linger on the long, expressive finish. Drink now. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A fantastic chardonnay with super phenolic tension and purity of fruit with sliced apple and spiced pear. Reductive and tight. It’s full-bodied, but so reserved and structured with great phenolic tension that is polished and endless. Needs time to open and show you its greatness. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard is scented of warm peaches, pie crust and spice with singular touches of white pepper and chamomile tea. The medium-bodied palate is incredibly powerful, featuring a satiny, mouth-coating texture balanced by vibrant acidity, a concentrated core of peachy fruit and an epically long, flavorful finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPFrom the Moon Mountain AVA, the 2021 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard is a bright golden hue and reveals aromas of smoky earth, cardamom, and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with a lot of power behind it, it’s rich with concentration and structure and offers iron-rich earth, ripe pear, and more savory richness on the finish as well as a bit of almond and frangipane.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard skips out of the glass with bright, cheery notes of fresh yellow apples, lemongrass, and lime leaves, giving way to wafts of struck flint, marzipan, and pie crust with a touch of ginger. The medium to full-bodied palate offers vibrant citrus and chalky layers, with a lively line and long, savory finish.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIThe 2021 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard is a wine of grace and class. Time in the glass brings out hints of ginger, dried flowers and spice that lend an exotic flair. I would cellar this for a year or two, as the wine’s structural elements are front and center at this stage. There’s gorgeous aromatic presence that begins to emerge over time.Vinous Media | 96 VMShows a distinct savory thread, with dried lemon verbena, sage and tarragon overtones. A sesame seed detail complements the apple, pear and citrus flavors at the core. This gains momentum on the finish, where a honeycomb note and spice accents reveal themselves. Drink now. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

...The complexity and richness of Special Cuvée is unparalleled among the entry non-vintage blends of every Champagne house, short of ascending to the mesosphere of Krug. Its grand recipe explains why, built on incredible depth of 50%-60% reserves. Triumphant complexity is a given at Bollinger, but it’s the dynamic freshness and vitality that really set it apart as one of the most affordable Champagne benchmarks.Decanter | 96 DECBollinger’s NV Special Cuvée knocks it out of the park. Made from 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, with 30% of the blend brought up in barrels, it boasts a rich, deep, medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific notes of lemon curd, crème brûlée, caramelized stone fruits, and hints of toasty nuttiness that develop with time in the glass. It’s a big, rich Champagne that stays balanced and pure. Beautiful stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBollinger’s NV Special Cuvée knocks it out of the park. Made from 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, with 30% of the blend brought up in barrels, it boasts a rich, deep, medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific notes of lemon curd, crème brûlée, caramelized stone fruits, and hints of toasty nuttiness that develop with time in the glass. It’s a big, rich Champagne that stays balanced and pure. Beautiful stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDRestrained and very pretty aromas include those of yeast, Meyer lemon, petrol and green apple where the latter element is picked up by the utterly delicious, vibrant and detailed flavors that possess fine complexity on the agreeably dry but not austere finish. The supporting mousse is dense but fine and overall, this is a wine that could be enjoyed now or held for up to a decade. Excellent. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 93 BHOne of Bollinger’s great assets is a massive stock of reserve wine, including 600,000 magnums held under cork. Gilles Descôtes tends those reserves, working with the blending team to subsume the variations of the current vintage into Bollinger’s Special Cuvée by using a majority of reserve wines in the blend. The result is a rich and harmonious Champagne with deep reserves of flavor. Its substantial, formal structure feels polished, its flavors balancing the cool earthiness of a limestone cave and the sunnier, bright floral notes of fresh cream. Built for food, whether emphasizing the freshness with lobster bisque, or the depth with beef Wellington and chanterelles.Terlato Wines Int’l., Lake Bluff, ILWine & Spirits | 93 W&S Like its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger’s NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse, it’s a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThere’s a pleasing, snappy quality to the acidity framing this elegant Champagne, enlivening accessible flavors of currant, Marcona almond and orchard blossom, with a minerally touch of saline-laced oyster shell that lingers on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 11,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSLots of biscuit aromas and a wide spectrum of fresh-citrus, candied-citrus, red-apple and red-berry notes. Mouth-filling creaminess, plus quite an imposing presence and powerful structure for an NV Brut. Long, citrus and chalky finish that’s very clean and properly dry. 60% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay, 10% pinot meunier. Almost 20% barrel fermented and 62% reserve wines. Based on the 2017 vintage and disgorged July 2021. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSFine bubbles combine nicely with the cooked apples, pie crust and lemon rind. Some biscuit, too. Full body. Layered and creamy with a crisp finish. Always delicious. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSDominated, as always, by Pinot Noir and with wood fermentation and aging, this Champagne has a great poise between freshness and richness. It is intense and ripe, with apple and minerality coming together. The bottling is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE (60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier; 8 g/l dosage; L1403801): Pale yellow. Toasty aromas of apple and pear nectar are complemented by hints of toffee, honey and orange zest. Full and expansive on the palate, offering ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors and an undercurrent of smoky minerals and buttered toast. Smooth and gently spicy on the clinging, nicely focusd finish.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG(NV Bollinger “Special Cuvée” Brut NV (Aÿ)) The current release of Bollinger “Special Cuvée” is composed of its customary blend of sixty percent pinot noir, twenty-five percent chardonnay and fifteen percent pinot meunier. It was finished with a dosage of eight grams per liter and offers up is classic pinot-shaded bouquet of white peach, apple, bread dough, a beautiful base of soil tones, a touch of hazelnut and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and complex, with a fine core of fruit, a good spine of acidity, elegant mousse and a long, well-balanced and classy finish. This is still a young wine and I would tuck it away in the cellar for at least a few years and let its acids relax a bit and its secondary layers of complexity emerge. (Drink between 2020-2040).John Gilman | 91+ JGNotes of flowery beeswax, white fruit, and quince on the nose. The palate has a flinty austerity with Braeburn, white pepper and subtle spice followed by yeasty richness and brisk finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025.Decanter | 90 DEC