WTN: 1996 Bollinger Grande Annee & 2000 Belle Epoque 375ml
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:16 pmA contrast in styles, both these wines were tasted over consecutive nights:
92 (Dec 2012)
PERRIER JOUET 2000 BELLE EPOQUE This was the second of two half bottles I have of this wine. This one was a little better than the first. The extended aging has made it a bit creamier. Belle Epoque never fails when it comes to elegance. There is a purity to the fruit that seems to glide down the throat. A beautiful drink, as always.
91 (Dec 2012)
1996 BOLLINGER GRANDE ANNEE Smoky and full bodied (for a champagne). Easy to enjoy though very dry to the taste. The wine was curiously more alive than the younger Belle Epoque. While the Belle's bubbles were soft and intermittent, the Grande Annee was streaming with tiny yet persistent bubbles.
Considering the Grande Annee is a '96, I was a bit surprised to find myself leaning slightly towards the more deliciously feminine Belle Epoque. I would equate it with one girl wearing sheer stockings and another wearing opaques. Both are sensual but I'm always a bit more drawn to the girl in sheers.
Jeff
92 (Dec 2012)
PERRIER JOUET 2000 BELLE EPOQUE This was the second of two half bottles I have of this wine. This one was a little better than the first. The extended aging has made it a bit creamier. Belle Epoque never fails when it comes to elegance. There is a purity to the fruit that seems to glide down the throat. A beautiful drink, as always.
91 (Dec 2012)
1996 BOLLINGER GRANDE ANNEE Smoky and full bodied (for a champagne). Easy to enjoy though very dry to the taste. The wine was curiously more alive than the younger Belle Epoque. While the Belle's bubbles were soft and intermittent, the Grande Annee was streaming with tiny yet persistent bubbles.
Considering the Grande Annee is a '96, I was a bit surprised to find myself leaning slightly towards the more deliciously feminine Belle Epoque. I would equate it with one girl wearing sheer stockings and another wearing opaques. Both are sensual but I'm always a bit more drawn to the girl in sheers.
Jeff