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Bollinger Vintage Champagne 2013 . La Cote aux Enfants, Blanc de Noirs . 12owc, disgorged Mar. 2022. Bottle (12). ... (Total: 12 Btls. )
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Description
Bollinger Vintage Champagne 2013La Cote aux Enfants, Blanc de Noirs
12owc, disgorged Mar. 2022
Bottle (12)
From the single-owner collection of an esteemed industry insider, sourced directly from Europe's most prestigious estates. Every bottle was acquired upon release and stored in professional, temperature- and humidity-controlled conditions from day one. A rare opportunity to acquire wines with impeccable provenance.
"So then it was time for the second edition of the already cult-declared monopoly wine from the purest chalk in Aÿ covered only by a decimetre-thick layer of soil. The grapes for the champagne come exclusively from the cooler north-west side planted with vines from Burgundy as the other part is weighted for the red wine under the same name. Selection Massale, of course, and with an extremely low yield that only created just over 1,000 bottles for all the world's champagne collectors. After the harvest, the wine is stored for 7 months in the house's well-aged oak barrels and then rests for 10 years in the cellar with natural cork for maximum autolytic body building in the same spirit as the vintage wine and VVF. So, in a way, a blanc de noirs d´Aÿ made in a burgundy way a'la Richebourg or Romanée-Conti. Taken together, all these details make for a truly fantastic wine that balances in an almost unearthly way between an enormously intense concentration and a rarely seen mineral-tinged freshness. The chalk note from the unique growing site sounds pure like a Stradivarius playing soloist and the bass notes from fully matured Pinot Noir rumble together with the relative weight of the oak barrels. It must be said right away that 2013 is considerably lighter and cooler in appearance than the premiere vintage in 2012. I think one have to taste 2013 more devoutly and focused in order not to get caught up in the fact that the wine is a little more shy and timid than 2012. The cool weather, however, gave us wonderful opportunities to follow the development of this wine during many years of aging. I predict that the peak level of wine will be reached sometime between 2030–2040. The acidity, the minerality and the purity are so beautiful that I'm happy to sit by myself even now and let myself sink into the swirling fresh dance of this beautiful wine. The fragrance is ultra-elegant with fine floral notes and sublime details. Most obvious right now is an enticing base note of After Eight mint chocolate. In many ways, the wine behaves like a high-class Blanc de Blancs from Le Mesnil with unexpectedly strong minerality, roses, lily of the valley and citrus notes. The low dosage of 4 grams gives the minerality full space and with time in the glass more peach and apricot will appear. The aftertaste is quite light, but extremely long and slender-limbed. The attack is fresh and detailed, while the scent balances so nicely between the soft chocolate notes and the citrus florality. Buy everything you see. I know I will." (98 pts. Richard Juhlin, Champagne Club, June 2023)
"This is remarkably complete and seamless for a single-vineyard Champagne, with a fragrance sat between raspberry pie, roasted plum and fresh blackberries, tart but ripe. The richness of lees ageing and the subtle openness of old oak barrel fermentation have brought honey and brown bread richness into the fold, which holds some force and breadth up front before tapering into a beautifully strict, persistent close full of chalky presence, salty pastry and liquorice. A super fine and rare blanc de noirs from the cool 2013 season." (95 pts. Tom Hewson, Decanter, March 2024)
"The 2013 La Côte aux Enfants is a rich, heady Champagne. Passion fruit, candied apricot, white flowers, vanillin, spice and tangerine oil all race across the palate. Deep and layered, with notable complexity, the 2013 is decidedly racy. Interestingly, the 2013 is much more expressive than the 2012 was at this stage. The 2013 was picked at 11.12% potential alcohol. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. In just its second release, the La Côte aux Enfants seems headed in a very positive direction." (95 pts. Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2023)
"One of the greatest hits from this vineyard, Bollinger’s 2013 Blanc de Noirs La Côte aux Enfants has evolved beautifully, embodying everything that made the long, slow-ripening season so compelling. Harvested on October 5 from the vineyard’s cool, northwest-facing slope, the fruit attained 10.4% potential alcohol. Disgorged in March 2022 with a dosage of four grams per liter, it unfurls from the glass with a deep bouquet of pear, wildflower honey and white peach, mingling with spice and bread dough. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, tensile and racy, with a pure, chalky core that marries Bollinger’s characteristic Pinot Noir power with incisive acidity and underlying tension. Chiseled and mineral, it presents a stylistic counterpoint to the flavorful 2015—another highlight of this vertical—and, like its younger sibling, is well worth seeking out." (96 pts. Kristaps Karklins, Wine Advocate, July 2025)
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Key to Condition Descriptions & Bottle Size
Auction Info
2025 September 12 The Pinnacle Collection Fine & Rare Wine Signature® Auction - Beverly Hills #5571 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
September, 2025
12th
Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 4
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 32
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
23% of the successful bid per lot.
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Wine purchases will not be shipped automatically, and are temporarily stored at Heritage Auctions' climate-controlled facility in North Hollywood, CA. Wine shipments require this Delivery Collection Form, and are subject to delays due to extreme weather. Sales Tax information
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Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms