堡林爵豐年2008年份香檳

文｜Tersina Shieh 編、譯｜張恬熙

很高興我最近參加了堡林爵豐年2008年份香檳午宴發布會，我可是個從來不會拒絕起泡酒的人，更何況2008對于香檳而言是個傳奇年份。

I never say no to bubbles so it was with pleasure that I attended the launch of Bollinger La Grande Année 2008 lunch recently, and especially that 2008 is a legendary vintage for Champagne.

2008年香檳區的氣候條件很好，生長季節氣候涼爽且疾病風險率很低。在收獲季的最后幾周氣溫有所上升，這讓葡萄的酸度和集中度都更好。按《醇鑒》的評分，這就是滿分年份，這樣的香檳是真正值得收藏的。

堡林爵豐年2008年份香檳混釀了來自18個不同村莊的葡萄，其中71%是黑皮諾，其余是霞多麗。這是該系列中黑皮諾比例第二高的年份，僅比1979年份的75%黑皮諾比例少一點。堡林爵豐年香檳的風格來自于小型舊橡木桶中發酵，擁有圓潤而豐滿的口感。得益于9年的酒泥陳釀，它有著富有層次感的花香、香料氣息以及新鮮的酸度。

堡林爵的出口部經理巴斯蒂安·馬里亞尼解釋道：堡林爵就是匠心之作，與美食搭配相得益彰。為了證明這一點，我們在半島酒店的克利伯餐廳里享用了午餐，用4道菜搭配標準瓶和1.5升裝的堡林爵豐年2008年份香檳。葡萄酒在大酒瓶中會發展得相對緩慢，但同時也會更有活力，標準瓶里的葡萄酒新鮮度仍維持得很好，但有些許泥土芬芳。巴斯蒂安建議大瓶裝的香檳搭配味道較清淡的菜肴，標準瓶的香檳搭配味道較濃郁的菜肴。在午宴上，大瓶香檳配生腌薄片龍蝦相當美味，標準瓶香檳配烤鵪鶉很不錯，但如果加上醬汁就會味道太濃了，即使這瓶充滿男人味兒的“詹姆斯·邦德香檳”也無法駕馭。

巴斯蒂安的另一觀點是香檳（或者用傳統法釀造的起泡酒）有兩段生命歷程。第一段是在除渣之前，這時葡萄酒在發展它的復雜度。第二段是在除渣后開始，葡萄酒發展出新鮮感和酸度。正因如此，堡林爵將每瓶豐年2008年份香檳的除渣日期都標在了酒瓶的背標上。除渣日期越晚的起泡酒，口感越新鮮。因此，下次你在購買高級香檳時，最好選擇除渣日期較晚的酒款——如果你能在酒標上找到這些信息。

我沒有喝過太多2008年份的香檳，但根據堡林爵豐年2008年份香檳的品質以及各種報告來看，2008年份肯定值得收藏。你可以通過捷成洋酒購買堡林爵香檳。

2008 had perfect weather condition in Champagne, cool climate growing season with minimum disease risks.Temperature increased in the last few weeks before harvest resulting in fruits with fine acidity and great concentration.According to Decanter, it is a 5/5 vintage and the wines are real keepers.

La Grande Année 2008 is a blend of grapes from 18 crus (villages),with 71% Pinot Noir and the rest being Chardonnay, it is the second vintage with the highest Pinot in the blend, just a little less that the 1979 vintage with 75% Pinot Noir.True to La Grande Années style, the wine was fermented in small aged old barrels giving it a round and rather rich mouthfeel, which is supported by layers of aromas from floral to exotic spices and fresh acidity, thanks to its 9 years of lees ageing.

Bollingers Export Area Manager Bastien Mariani explained that Bollinger is all about craftsmanship and gastronomy.To illustrate this,we were treated a 4-course lunch at Clippers in The Peninsula paired with standard bottle and magnum La Grande Année 2008.Wine evolves slower in big bottles.The magnum is livelier while the standard bottle,still fresh but with an earthy undertone.According to Bastien, magnum complements lighter flavoured dishes while standard bottle is best served with stronger flavoured dishes.The magnum with langoustine carpaccio was excellent.The standard bottle was paired with the roasted quail,which was pleasant, but together with the sauce was a touch too powerful even for this manly James Bond Champagne.

Another point that Bastien mentioned was that Champagne (or sparkling wine made in Traditional Method) has two lives.The first was before disgorgement when the wine develops its complexity and the second life starts after disgorgement when freshness and acidity come into play.Because of this, Bollinger now puts the disgorgement date on the back label of La Grande Année 2008.A more recent disgorged sparkling wine will be fresher than the one that has been disgorged for a while.Therefore next time you buy premium Champagne for cellaring,its best to get those with a later disgorgement date - if it is mentioned on the label.

I havent tried a lot of 2008 vintage Champagne but judging from Bollinger La Grande Année 2008 and various reports, 2008 is certainly worth keeping.Bollinger is available from Jebsen Fine Wines.