1998 Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Francaises
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Tasting notes
Bollinger’s 1998 Vieilles Vignes Françaises is quite pretty and lifted in style. A decidedly feminine VVF, the 1998 is starting to show the first signs of tertiary maturity, so it is best enjoyed sooner rather than later.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 1998 Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes Françaises from Bollinger is à point. With grilled hazelnuts and light fumé notes on the nose, this is restrained at first but lets it rip given an hour in the glass. The palate has a compelling earthiness that is matched by an almost clinical line of acidity, deepening towards the finish that offers kernels of pine nuts and bitter lemon. It is not as complex or elegant as the millennial VVF but represents an intellectual sparkler.
About the producer
Bollinger is one of the most renowned and coveted Champagne Houses in the world, famous for its Pinot-Noir-dominant wines, in particular La Grande Année and the rare Vieilles Vignes Françaises (from pre-phylloxera vines).