2002 bollinger, la grande annee rose

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Why We're Buying

The sibling of Bollinger La Grande Année, the Rosé version has a personality all its own. It leads with strawberry and raspberry aromas while maintaining the multi-layered complexity that Bollinger is known for. To quote Wine.com's Wilfred Wong, "No one does it better." It was the least surprising news of the year. Critics loved 2012 Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé. Not only that, but the Champagne earned its highest aggregate scores of any vintage. La Grande Année Rosé wins over people from the start with lavish aromas and flavors of red berries, honey, nuts, and sweet spice. Known as James Bond’s favorite Champagne, Bollinger is often described as powerful and muscular. While La Grande Année Rosé demonstrates consistent weight and power, it wields more grace and subtlety than most wines in the Bollinger portfolio. The driving forces behind this multidimensional rosé: an immaculate 2012 growing season. A mild and sunny autumn led to richly concentrated ripe grapes. Contrary to the prevailing customs of the region, Bollinger ages the champagne in magnums rather than tanks. The result is a wine that is uniquely Bollinger.

Critics Scores

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2002 Brut Rose La Grande Annee is a beautifully detailed, subtle wine. A noble, intriguing bouquet leads dried roses, berries, minerals all of which come together with gorgeous articulation. There is a wonderful balance between the vinosity of the Pinot and the more chalky, minerally elements that preserve freshness. The finish is totally impeccable and classy. In a word: Sublime. This is Lot L001831. Disgorged November 10, 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2015.

Wine & Spirits

The sheer intensity and power of this wine is awesome, an almost violent red from the addition of Coteaux Champenois pinot noir from La Côte de Enfants (about seven percent of the blend). It's in overdrive when first opened, an extreme wine with the redness of roses on fire, the impacted flavor of seashell minerality and the cool crispness of apple skin. A day later, the wine is effortlessly detailed, blissfully rich with the subtle toastiness derived from fermentation in old oak barrels. The acidity is there to keep it fresh for as long as it lives, a life that will be measured in decades.

Wine Spectator

This rosé Champagne shows precision, balance and seamless integration, boasting juicy fruit flavors of ripe black cherry, pomegranate and cassis that mix with violet, spice, almond and candied citrus peel notes. Fresh and vibrant, with a long, lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2022.