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. — 23 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Elegant Cabernet with great character & depth. Would like to try it again in 5-8 yr.

Nice pairing of elegance with the Wagyu Short Ribs. — 2 months ago

romo

9.3

Frivolous 375. — 3 months ago

J B

9.2

Christmas gift from vendor. Eileen looked it up $55 — 4 months ago

Billy L.

9.5

This was excellent 👍🏻👏🏻🥂🍾 — 5 months ago

John Van Trijp

9.7

Weekend with Friends and average wines…😎 — 6 months ago

Joe Flo

9.5

Just think Dom Perignon is a solid consistent Champagne house. — 6 days ago

Thijs Hendriks

9.5

Magnum. 95+ — 13 days ago

Andy Stabile

9.0

Big ol’ Pinot… if by name only

Heavy body….. deep ruby color.
Musty, earthy nose
Powerful Friit - maybe black cherry
A touch earth / bitter lingers. A touch of oak.
Zin / Cab vibes
Nice glass of wine…
(Remedy 21)
With Sue and Riley — 2 months ago

S.S. Mandani

9.0

Golden raisins, soda bread, lemon, orchard fruit, nice body, tart rainier cherries — 2 months ago

Jeffrey Trezek

9.0

Yes please!
— 4 months ago

Matt Perlman

9.5

This stuff was might fine as you might expect from M. Laval. Will hang onto the next one another 5-10 years — 5 months ago

Nessa Provi

9.5

My FAVORITE. I have no helpful review. I just know what I like. — 5 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.2

Really nice starting to get some secondary flavors. Overall enjoyed it. — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2012 Special Club pours a straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of raspberry, apple, strawberry, peach, lemon curd, toasted brioche, almond, and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Delicious. Drink now through 2042. Disgorged October of 2022. — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Rich, fresh with notes of pear, apple, brioche, mineral & the complexity you get from a mature vintage. Sadly my last btl out of a case purchased on release. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Very pretty color of peach with a salmon hue.

Strong nose of apples, citrus, peaches, yeast, light bread and minerals.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and tiny bubbles.

Dry on the palate with raspberries, over ripen strawberries, apples, limes, yeast, sea salt, brioche, spices, minerals, light earth and cardamom.

Long spicy finish with limes and grapefruits.

This 14 year old Rosé Champagne is drinking beautifully already, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Elegant, spicy and rich. Fruity and nicely balanced, complex and engaging.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Wine Advocate 95 points.

Good right out of the bottle, and better when not too cold.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Tuna Avocado Tartare.

A blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay, with 5% red wine. Disgorged in 2020.

12% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200. — 2 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

No notes taken after a large final day at the Australian Grand Prix in Casa Ferrari. I thought the matching glasses to the painted bottle a very classy touch. Pale salmon in colour. A lovely refreshing drink with notes of wild strawberry and a creamy sweetness to the palate. The mousse is not fine but it remains a delicious Rose Champagne. — 4 months ago

Phil Kessling

9.0

Brut Zero Rosé from Tarlant. Grower Champagne with an even split of Pn and Chard; 5% Meunier too. Zero dosage. Terrific bottle of Grower Champagne. Each glass got better and better. Great fruit and great acidity.l — 5 months ago

J B

9.2

Jack and Eileen liked lots. With pork chop - Eileen got her share. — 6 months ago