Bollinger Brut Champagne La Grande Année 2008

100 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Light greenish-yellow with gold reflections; lively, fine mousse. Complex bouquet with nuances of orange zest, a hint of white pear, delicate apple touch, undercurrent of spices, subtle brioche note and fine minerality. Juicy palate with delicate fruit expression, yellow tropical fruit underlaid with caramel nuances, fine nougat, white peach echoes, salty notes on the finish, great length. Superb future potential for the coming decades. A classic. (11/21/19)"

99 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2008 La Grande Année is another brilliant 2008 that delivers the goods. Straight-up awesome notes of stone fruits, white flowers, honeysuckle, and an incredible, liquid rock-like minerality all emerge from the glass, and it develops more nuance, spice, toasted bread, and an almost Alsatian Riesling-like petrol character over the course of the evening. It’s a full-bodied, rich, powerful Champagne, yet like the top 2008s, it has brilliant precision, purity, and focus. It’s unquestionably one of the finest versions of this cuvée ever produced, although it needs another 4-5 years of bottle age to hit prime time. It should keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo! Drink: 2023-2063. (11/14/19)"

99 points (19.5/20) La Revue du Vin de France: "In the history of La Grande Année, 2008 will undoubtedly leave its mark! It's probably the most accomplished and complete wine produced by the house. Intense, powerful and vibrant, with an energy that has already made history. (2020)"

98 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(disgorged June 2018; 29% chardonnay, 71% pinot; from 18 crus, mainly Aÿ and Verzenay for pinot and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant for chardonnay; fermented entirely in barrels; aged 9 years on cork; 8g/L dosage; cork). Exceedingly youthful, even by the enduring standards of 2008, it confidently presents the bold presence of pinot noir from the Montagne de Reims’ southern slopes in layers of red cherries, blackberries, satsuma plums and mixed spice, brightened by the crunch of preserved lemon of chardonnay. All the exuberant character of barrel fermentation is on display more visibly than ever, layered in high-cocoa dark chocolate, freshly ground coffee beans, ginger, candied citrus rind and spices of all kinds. Nine years on lees has heightened its creaminess and contributed layers of crème caramel and roast hazelnuts. The acid line of this classic season brings a focus, tension, energy and drive to the finish that promises an exceedingly long life, confidently supported by the frothing salt minerality of thundering grand cru proportions, the commanding voice of four of the most profound sparkling crus on earth... My advice is to buy as much as you can find the instant it lands, and cellar it as long as you can possibly keep your hands off it. (2020-2021)"

96-98 points Richard Juhlin: 71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay. (Jun 2019)

97+ points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "Bollinger's 2008 La Grande Année is superb, wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, ripe lemons, honeycomb, warm biscuits, dried white flowers and a delicate top note of walnuts and fino sherry. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a beautifully refined mousse, superb concentration at the tightly wound core, incisive acids and a supremely elegant intermingling of Bollinger's oxidative stylistic signatures with fresh, vibrant fruit. The finish is long, precise and chalky. This is a Grande Année built for the cellar—the real excitement will come with a bit more bottle age—but this is already a thrilling Champagne in the making. Finished with eight grams per liter dosage, it was disgorged by hand in July 2018. This is also the first vintage of Grande Année to be bottled in Bollinger's new narrower-necked 1846 bottle, which should make for a slower evolving wine. Drink: 2022-2060. (Mar 2019)"

97 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous) (Jul 2019)

97 points Decanter (Mar 2019)

97 points Wine & Spirits (Dec 2019)

96 points Wine Spectator (10/2/19)