Shaken, Not Quite Stirred: A Brutally Honest Review of Champagne Bollinger 007 Millesime 2009 Specter Limited Edition

Champagne Bollinger 007 Millesime 2009, codenamed Specter 2009 Limited Edition, was launched on the market as a special edition in conjunction with the James Bond film Spectre, a classic heroic film that skilfully alternates exhilarating moments with tasty soporific ones.

But we are not here to talk about the movie Specter but about Champagne. The champagne that we won’t hide from you has left us a bit taken aback. Although already on the path to a sumptuous evolution of yeasts that hides a thousand veils, it is its fruity-floral fieryness that struck us the most.

It is probably still too immature to be appreciated in all its splendor, but let’s face it, it is not a subtle and discreet Champagne; on the contrary, it boasts a not indifferent structure and volume.

Certainly, with another 4-5 years of aging, it will become an extremely beautiful swan that can soar gracefully and sail towards the sunset with a slight flutter of its wings, but for now it is a rocky, heavy Champagne that struggles to take flight.

Let’s be clear: we want to be meticulous to the end, considering the price of 200 euros for this Champagne. With these numbers at stake, the analysis must be clear and honest, and Daniel Wroughton Craig’s icy gaze, no matter how charismatic he is, won’t make us change our minds.

Bouquet

Sumptuous nose, broad and full of floral, pungent, and fruity references with small berries in evidence, surrounded by seaweed and sweet sugared almonds. The niche Chardonnay is in the background, buttery, ok, caramelized, and dried fruit, but they are hidden, almost shy. Overall, it is a very penetrating bouquet, broad rather than nuanced, but always very elegant and with good persistence.

Flavor

In the mouth, it is structured, characterized by a mature fullness, and not very agile. If we want to find a fault, it is the lack of precise aromatic verticality. Honey and butter have a lot of different tastes, but they don’t have much sourness. Instead, they have a baroque-like, pulpy richness, but they don’t have much finesse. The flavors are those of Pinot Noir, with lots of fruit and ripe returns and a bite-sized thickness. Volume and structure are there; the perlage tickles. Tasty and long finish, and God forbid

In summary, we have never regretted opening a bottle so much. It is a good champagne, but with 5–6 years of cellar aging, it would have been excellent.

Service temperature

There are some things that are absolutely not done. For example, drinking a 1953 Dom Perignon at a temperature above 4 degrees Celsius would be worse than listening to the Beatles without ear plugs.

Price

190-200 euros: price not up to par Of course it is a special edition, perhaps for 007 fans and collectors, but the hype of the Bond character is heavily discounted.