BOLLINGER PN AYC21 Blanc de Noirs 'Special Limited Release' Bottle

Description

If you’ve been following this PN series with us, you’ll know how much Jane and I loved the VZ19 and the TX20. They were both brilliant. But this latest release, the PN AYC21, is one we’ve really been waiting for.

This time, we are going right to the heart of the Maison: Aÿ.

Aÿ is the spiritual home of Bollinger; it’s where their story began in 1829 and where their finest Pinot Noir lives. This cuvée is the proof of why that terroir matters so much. While the TX20 was about precision, the AYC21 is about soul and richness.

It is built around a 2021 base (51% of the blend), but what makes it serious is the 49% reserve wines. Nearly a quarter of those are older wines from 2012, 2013, and 2014, giving it a depth and "grunt" that you just don’t find elsewhere.

On the nose, it’s all about rich red fruit; strawberries, raspberries and a bit of quince. On the palate, there’s a lovely "sherbet" fruitiness and strawberry confit, but it’s the finish that really grabs you. It is long, elegant, and has that signature saline, dry edge that leaves you reaching for the glass again. It’s a joy to drink.

The PN AYC21 is the 7th cuvée of this Champagne to be released and only the 2nd to be produced from the Grand Cru village of Aÿ, based on the superb 2021 vintage.

Bollinger are famed for their Pinot Noir so there is little surprise that its signature rich and open style shines through. The blend is complimented by 49% of reserve wines including three amazing harvest years: 2012, 2013 & 2014.