Joel Lara

9.4

Upon opening, this seemed a bit disjointed, with muted fruit flavors and strong herbal notes. Decanting didn’t seem to help much, but day 2 it finally opened up nicely, with nice complexity and intensity on the palate. Cherry, raspberry, cassis, bay leaf, dried Italian herbs, anise, cloves, vanilla, cedar, earth, and balsamic notes all come through. Really tasty, but maybe a bit too intense. I can see this improving with a few more years of aging so the flavors coalesce and soften a bit more. — 9 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.6

Mathew king robert pavlovich thatcher courtney clayfu feng @rvr — 13 days ago

Stephen Mathews

9.8

Happy birthday to my favorite mother in law! — 10 days ago

Jay Kline

9.6

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core and some moderate rim variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of ripe and slightly dried black and blue fruits: dark brambles, plum, fig, purple flowers, leather ball glove, something spicy and green that has me debating between rotundone or pyrazines (but which?), rocky earth and fine baking warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. What a beautifully made wine.

Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend with associated Bordeaux varieties), Cabernet Franc, Merlot (blended with associated Bordeaux varieties) or Syrah from France, the US or Australia. This is older; probably 20+ years of age based on the secondary characteristics or dried fruit and old leather. While the fruit plays a starring role here, the alcohol seems almost modest so I can’t place this in Australia or the US. The problem I’m having, are there pyrazines or rotundone? I don’t get a lot of black pepper or animale, or olive for that matter…so I’m leaning towards this being Bordeaux. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine with a blend of Bordeaux varieties, from France, Bordeaux, Pulliac, from a classified growth, 2004. Whoa!!! 2005 Clape?! What a treat! I feel like I should have nailed this wine. Alas…I still have to get better at differentiating between pyrazines and rotundone with age. Drink now with a decant, through 2045+ — 24 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.7

Precheval troigoss Bilky — a month ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.4

Touch of over the hill but still OK. Lost color. More for the geeks and aficionados - than the casual wine drinker. So this review is for you guys. — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

So good! Showing notes of lemon, citrus, wet stone, mineral, flint & racy acids — 19 hours ago

GaryWEdwards

9.5

This is a pleasant stunner of citrus zest and tart apple. Whoa! Note to self: 12 is not sufficient supply. — 19 days ago

Stephane Bardin

9.4

Smooth, light, oaky — 4 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.9

Mathew king robert pavlovich thatcher courtney clayfu feng @rvr — 13 days ago

romo

9.3

Reduced and young, very serious. Not your book club Chardonnay. - at Laurelhurst — 9 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.5

Magnum en maximo mex vs ecua — 23 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.7

Primera cena troigoss — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV – Champagne AOC, France 🇫🇷

Overview
One of Champagne’s enduring benchmarks, Special Cuvée combines approximately 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Meunier, with a significant portion of reserve wines contributing depth and consistency. Rich, layered, and unmistakably Bollinger, it delivers remarkable complexity at a price point that remains accessible compared to many prestige bottlings.

Aromas & Flavors
Golden apple, ripe pear, citrus zest, baked brioche, roasted nuts, and subtle spice unfold in layers. Notes of fresh bread dough and orchard fruit intertwine with hints of honey and toast.

Mouthfeel
Vibrant and energetic with a creamy mousse and impressive depth. A delicate kiss of yeast adds texture and contrast, while the wine’s concentration and freshness remain beautifully balanced through the finish.

Food Pairings
Lobster, seared scallops, roast chicken, truffle dishes, aged Comté, oysters, or simply enjoyed as a celebratory aperitif.

Verdict
A richly textured and multi-layered Champagne that continues to justify its reputation as one of the region’s benchmarks. Complex, expressive, and consistently rewarding, it offers a level of sophistication that punches well above its category.

Did You Know?
Unlike many large Champagne houses, Bollinger ferments a portion of its wines in old oak barrels and maintains an extensive reserve wine program, helping create the signature richness and depth that define Special Cuvée.

🍷 Personal Pick
Few non-vintage Champagnes deliver this combination of richness, complexity, and value. The layered fruit, subtle autolytic character, and vibrant texture make Special Cuvée one of my favorite benchmark Champagnes and a bottle I never hesitate to revisit. — 2 months ago

Paul J

9.7

Awesome as always! Fruit forward, rich, and refreshing. High quality. Beautiful salmon color. — 16 days ago

with Brooke

Chris Buggy

9.1

Vanilla! But once it calms down, good round tannins, good body, super smooth at this point, perfect for the obligatory Father’s Day steaks — a month ago

with Jennifer

Jj Joe

9.5

What a surprise, good for korean foods and chicken too — a month ago

Elayna Halikopter

9.0

Light bodied. Very good — 5 days ago

Joe Flo

9.5

Just think Dom Perignon is a solid consistent Champagne house. — a month ago

Paul J

9.7

Wow!! This was amazing. PnP. Earth, barnyard mixed with lovely cherry fruit and subtle herbs. Great texture and depth. One of my best bottles of this. Paired great with BBQ. — a month ago

with Brooke