Waiting for my glass to arrive at the tasting, I thought what could go wrong? The 2002 vintage is first rate, R.D. is always an experience and Bollinger never really ever screws it up. Guess what, this wine is the Holy Grail. I suppose it's why I taste so much ordinary wine; I constantly hope that someday it will all end up like this. Okay, dreaming aside, this is a fabulous bottle of bubble. Rich and creamy, bursting with acidity that propels the nutty nuanced brioche and mineral, honeyed palate to another level. Long, persistent, entertaining and brimming with weight and intensity it still walks a fine line of acidity and tightness that makes it electric on the palate. So long on the lees, it is now a history lesson in 2002 champagne. Beg, borrow (maybe not steal) the money but buy a bottle and experience one of the great mysteries of wine. The details are: 60/40 pinot noir/chardonnay; 23 crus: 71% Grand Crus, 29% Premier Cru; the dosage is a very low: 3 to 4 grams per liter or Extra Brut.
Anthony Gismondi, July 2016