Maison Bollinger, PN TX17, 2017

Part of the brilliant PN series from Bollinger, here is the latest edition which brings a laser-sharp focus to some of the region's most exciting terroirs famed for Pinot Noir. In 2015 & 2016 the team favoured Verzenay, one of Champagne's great Grands Crus, and for the third edition they have now chosen what Richard Juhlin describes as "the extremely exciting and rare Tauxières Premier Cru, which is one of two villages classified 99% on the Grand Cru scale". It is almost unheard of to see Champagne produced almost exclusively from Tauxières, especially from the Kings of Pinot themselves, so this headline-grabbing release is already making serious waves!
Does the wine live up to the expectation? Yes, it really does! Notoriously strict, Juhlin awards 92-94 points and is completely thrilled by the wine, praising it as "very beautiful and personal" and like a "finely tuned complex symphony." In fact Juhlin goes further, even suggesting this "very impressive and exciting champagne" is something "I will look out for to my private cellar”! Our dear friend Anne Krebhiel MW at Falstaff is also a huge fan of the PN TX17, and in her 94 point note she declares "very elegant, very expressive, as vivid, energetic and vibrant as the previous releases under this series. Lovely." This is a towering achievement from the tough 2017 vintage, although no doubt significant reserves from 2016, 2009 and 2006 have helped make this even more elegant and sumptuous. This series has proven a real hit with collectors and TX17 is easily the most interesting addition to the portfolio yet!

92-94 pts Richard Juhlin
“The wine is almost completely dominated by the extremely exciting and rare Tauxières Premier Cru, which is one of two villages classified 99% on the Grand Cru scale. Despite an impressive vineyard area of 237 hectares, it is extremely rare to come across champagnes dominated by this fantastic Cru. A cooler microclimate and a thinner soil layer with even more compact chalk than sunny Bouzy make the wines from here lighter and more elegant than Bouzy but stronger than Verzenay which is also part of this exciting Blanc de Noirs with predominantly base from 2017. Here is also a small splash of Avenay to give a little buttery roundness to the cuvée with its low dosage of 4 grams. The reserve wines that always come from magnum bottles under low pressure make up 48% from three vintages in 2016, 2009 and 2006. In total, half of the wine is made in oak barrels and the other half in steel tanks. The result is very beautiful and personal. The scent has features of lead pencil, juniper and freshly lacquered boat together with more classic coffee notes, rose petals, apricot and peach. The taste is vivid and multifaceted with a lively precision, lighter fruit aromas than you normally find in Bollinger's wines. Even cassis is one of the more unexpected aromas in this finely tuned complex symphony. Very impressive and exciting champagne that really makes me want to taste more and that I will look out for to my private cellar.”
94 pts Anne Krebiehl MW, Falstaff.com
A tender nose shows of a sense of fresh, sweet cream and crushed berry – unusually with a hint of blueberry, followed by Red Delicious apple and a beautifully lifted and aromatic note of tangerine. The palate is sinuous and elegant, there is wonderful depth of fruit and that lovely signature creaminess of Bollinger expressed in superfine foam. There is subtle length that only emphasises the depth of flavour. Very elegant, very expressive, as vivid, energetic and vibrant as the previous releases under this series. Lovely.