08 comtes

So how are the latest vintages looking 15 onwards and what’s the next “big thing”.

‘15 decent, ripe but lacks that certain something of a super vintage. Look to prestige cuvees.

‘16 slightly cooler vintage, I like it a lot, good but perhaps not in the stratosphere.

‘17 stunning Chardonnay, awful Pinot. BdB vintage par excellence.

‘18/‘19/‘20 all ripe vintages, ‘19 probably top, ‘20 next with ‘18 narrowly behind. The best trilogy ever for Champagne, and at least two out of these three is worth “grand vintage” status.
 
Lovely share Nick.
One day we will get to do an 08 head to head, before they all shut down I hope.
At the moment Bolly GA 08 sets the bar for me.
Interesting, Ray. I had my first Bolly GA 08 tonight and I agree that it is a good drink. Showing early signs of oxidation though to me and I will drink my remaining bottles in the short term. Maybe a stylistic thing?
 
Interesting, Ray. I had my first Bolly GA 08 tonight and I agree that it is a good drink. Showing early signs of oxidation though to me and I will drink my remaining bottles in the short term. Maybe a stylistic thing?
Angus,
The commonality that I took from the 08’s I’ve had is that they showed fantastically well when just released and thereafter headed into what I hope is a mute phase.
Moët 08 vintage was the first to really embody this, but they all seem to have followed suit.
I do hope the Bolly 08 doesn’t fall over into an oxidised mess like so many of its predecessors. For me it was the star that shone brightest of all about a year ago.
 
Big difference between mute and the tell tale signs of oxidation though Ray. With Bollinger's track record on this stuff I would be nervous although maybe a dodgy bottle of course.
 
Angus,
The commonality that I took from the 08’s I’ve had is that they showed fantastically well when just released and thereafter headed into what I hope is a mute phase.
Moët 08 vintage was the first to really embody this, but they all seem to have followed suit.
I do hope the Bolly 08 doesn’t fall over into an oxidised mess like so many of its predecessors. For me it was the star that shone brightest of all about a year ago.

Yes I do worry about that too. I put my faith in the new regime when I tasted the 08LGA. It seemed bright, fresh, with no immediate oxidative issues. Bollinger is an oxidative style champagne, and we should not forget that, although that should be more textural than overtly aromatic. If it is the latter, well then Bollinger still have not learnt their lessons.
 
I was invited a few years ago to a dinner at which a large number of Selosse cuvees were enjoyed. Oxidation was not a feature. It could easily be that they are particularly susceptible to indelicate handling.
 
I was invited a few years ago to a dinner at which a large number of Selosse cuvees were enjoyed. Oxidation was not a feature. It could easily be that they are particularly susceptible to indelicate handling.

Its not an all or nothing rule, there are some non-oxidative bottles out there (usually freshly released), but there are plenty more oxidative or worse oxidised versions out there too.

The nature of Selosse's regime and Bollinger's ignorance of SO2 at disgorgement (hopefully in the past) introduces variability, not guaranteed oxidation.
 
The Gratien BdB was released in 2017, I believe, and when tasted at the Masters 08 offline a year or so ago needed a fair bit of time, I’ve not started my case yet but may pop the first this year
 
Top