La Cote aux Enfants 2013 Bollinger

Classification	Grand Cru
Type	Sparkling
Brand	Bollinger
Vintage	2013
Country	France
Region	Champagne
Grape	Pinot Noir
Volume	0,75
Condition	Perfect
Label	Perfect
Drinkable	2025-2040
Stock	2

Professional reviews

Robert Parker (97)

While one might have expected the cool, northwest-facing part of this famed Aÿ vineyard to produce a rather unyielding wine in a vintage like this, Bollinger's brilliant 2013 Brut Blanc de Noirs La Côte Aux Enfants is actually easier to understand than the rather more reserved inaugural 2012 release. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of smoky orchard fruit, crisp peach, beeswax, mocha, warm spices and toasted nuts, it's full-bodied, taut and chiseled, with a deep and concentrated core of fruit, a beautifully refined pinpoint mousse and a long, electric finish. All the energy and cut that one could wish for is combined with the house's trademark vinous, complex style to deliver a wine of real character and élan.

Jancis Robinson (16.50)

All Pinot Noir from a special plot in the middle of a slope with very little topsoil over 100 m of chalk. Fruit from the south-facing part has long been used for still wine and fruit from here was a regular ingredient in the house's non-vintage blend but in 2012 they started to make this single-vineyard champagne, too, as part of their drive to make more terroir-driven champagne. It was aged for seven years on lees.
Very vibrant, lifted and fresh but quite evolved nose though the palate is still extremely tight, as so often for 2013s. There's a light flavour of macaroons but for the moment, while the finish is bone dry in Bollinger style, it's not that persistent. I'd love to taste this again in a year or two. The acidity dominates for now. (JR)