Bollinger chef de cave Denis Bunner shares his thoughts about the just completed 2024 harvest and introduces two very special 2014 vintage releases. In a Pinot Noir themed lunch at Apricity in Mayfair’s Duke Street, Bunner and chef Chantelle Nicholson devised an inspired menu to match the five different Bollinger Blanc de Noirs. Bunner told the guests that despite the difficult 2024 growing season “with one and half time’s the normal rainfall between April and September and high pressure of mildew”, they ended up with “a light [in volume terms] but high-quality crop. After a hot and humid winter there was lot of grass in the vineyard and growers had to spend a lot of time making sure it was not too high and with the mildew pressure, it was a nightmare for them. “Since 2016 we have been converting our own vineyards to organic production, it will be certified next year and it was a real fight against the weather, constantly trying to adapt to the difficult conditions. But we had no problems with botrytis and two days before the harvest started on 17 September the weather changed with cool night temperatures below 12 °C and during the first two weeks of the harvest we had sunny weather with no rain and a wind that helped dry the berries. “This helped us reach a good level of maturity and potential alcohol of 10.6deg for the Pinot Noir with Chardonnay at 10deg and Meunier too. The Pinot Noir was
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Fine Wine
