A Symphony of Pinot Noir: Champagne Bollinger Unveils PN TX20

A Symphony of Pinot Noir: Champagne Bollinger Unveils PN TX20.

When Champagne Bollinger unveils a new cuvée, it becomes more than a product launch — it transforms into a moment that brings together heritage, innovation, gastronomy, and celebration. 

Last June, Dutch importer Verbunt Verlinden orchestrated such an occasion at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Bougainville in Amsterdam. Against the backdrop of the capital’s vibrant Dam Square, guests were treated to an afternoon that paired the new PN TX20 with a menu of rare finesse by chef Tim Golsteijn and pairings curated by sommelier Ronald Opten. At the center of it all stood Eva Gottesman, ambassador for Bollinger, who presented not just a wine but an idea — a fresh interpretation of Pinot Noir, viewed through the lens of a single cru.

Bollinger: A House Built on Pinot Noir

Few names in Champagne carry as much weight as Bollinger. Founded in 1829 in the heart of Aÿ, the house has built its reputation on wines of structure, intensity, and remarkable aging potential. At the heart of its philosophy is Pinot Noir, the variety that gives Bollinger its vinous depth and unmistakable identity. Pinot Noir represents more than just a grape for Bollinger: it is a way of expressing power, terroir, and timeless elegance.

Over the decades, Bollinger has become synonymous with precision and character. From the iconic Special Cuvée, to prestige bottlings such as La Grande Année and the rare R.D., the house has shown its ability to craft wines that balance richness with freshness. Its mastery is also rooted in a deep respect for tradition. Bollinger remains one of the few Champagne houses that maintains its own cooperage, ages reserve wines in magnums under natural cork, and tends historic vineyards such as La Côte Aux Enfants. These practices, unusual in a modern industry, underscore Bollinger’s devotion to heritage while ensuring a unique stylistic continuity.

In this context, the PN series feels both inevitable and daring: a project that takes Bollinger’s long-standing commitment to Pinot Noir and applies it to an exploration of terroir, individuality, and subtle reinvention.

The PN Series: Terroir as a Canvas

The PN series is Bollinger’s playground — a space where tradition meets experimentation. Each release focuses on Pinot Noir from a different cru, chosen for its ability to showcase a distinct personality, while still resonating with the house’s powerful style. Reserve wines, some aged for over a decade, bring added complexity and texture, ensuring that these champagnes are not merely snapshots but layered stories.

The journey began with PN AYC18, centered on Aÿ, Bollinger’s home village. AYC18 displayed the ripe red fruit, spice, and vinous density that make Aÿ Pinot Noir so captivating. This was followed by PN VZ19, with Verzenay at its core, delivering a more austere, chalk-driven expression with cooler fruit and remarkable tension. Both showed how Bollinger could remain faithful to its DNA while exploring new dimensions of Pinot Noir.

The PN series is not just about terroir, however. It is also about education — offering drinkers a chance to understand how one grape, handled by one house, can present such a wide spectrum of flavors and textures depending on where it is grown. For wine lovers, it provides a guided tour through Champagne’s patchwork of crus. For Bollinger, it is a statement of confidence: the house is so secure in its heritage that it can afford to push boundaries.

PN TX20 – Energy in a Glass

The spotlight now shifts to PN TX20, which highlights Pinot Noir from Tauxières, a premier cru village in the Montagne de Reims. Tauxières is less widely known than Aÿ or Verzenay, yet among connoisseurs, it is prized for its chalky soils and the precision they impart to wines. The cooler microclimate enhances freshness and brings a mineral edge, making Tauxières an inspired choice for this third edition.

In the glass, PN TX20 reveals a pale golden hue with streams of persistent bubbles. The nose opens with citrus zest, white peach, and dried apricot, underscored by hints of almond, ginger, and chalk. With air, deeper notes of baked apple and spice emerge, promising complexity. The palate is taut and linear at first, then blossoms into layers of stone fruit, citrus oil, and saline minerality. What stands out most is the sense of drive — a champagne of focus and elegance, yet alive with energy.

Compared to its predecessors, TX20 feels more chiselled and precise, less broad than AYC18 and less muscular than VZ19. Instead, it offers a clarity and tension that makes it immediately engaging and gastronomically versatile. It is a champagne that shines both as an aperitif and as a partner to refined cuisine.

Our rating: 95/100 DWA score– a finely etched expression of Pinot Noir, combining freshness, structure, and elegance in equal measure.

A Culinary Journey at Bougainville

The unveiling of PN TX20 would not have been complete without the artistry of Bougainville, where chef Tim Golsteijn and sommelier Ronald Opten designed a menu that was both daring and precise, intended to converse with each wine. This was not a standard pairing lunch; it was a carefully choreographed dialogue between kitchen and cellar.

Amuses

The opening sequence of amuse-bouches set the tone for the afternoon. Nori with tuna and Riofrio caviar offered a briny freshness, while burrata with mortadella and pistachio foie gras provided creamy, nutty decadence. A playful bite of licorice with trappeur spice added intrigue and spice. Together, they formed a miniature overture: a balance of sea, cream, and earth, preparing the palate for the complexity of the champagnes.

Carabinero with Wagyu Cecina, Pomegranate & Ajo Blanco

Paired with PN TX20

The scarlet prawn was succulent and sweet, its natural intensity elevated by the smoky richness of thinly sliced wagyu cecina. Pomegranate added bursts of freshness, while garlic lent savory depth. Against this backdrop, PN TX20 was electrifying: its citrus and mineral line refreshed the palate, while its subtle spice mirrored the garlic. The interplay was vibrant and exact, showing just how adaptable the wine could be.

PN TX20 – DWA Rating: 95/100

Monkfish with Red Curry, Thai Basil & Som Tam

Paired with PN VZ19

Here, Golsteijn pushed boundaries with a boldly flavored dish. The monkfish was meaty and firm, enveloped in the warmth of red curry, while Thai basil brought fragrance and som tam (papaya salad) delivered crunch and acidity. PN VZ19, with its Verzenay backbone, rose to the challenge: its breadth and structure met the richness of the curry head-on, while its cool chalkiness refreshed the palate. The harmony was unexpected but convincing, a reminder that champagne thrives beyond classical French pairings.

PN VZ19 – DWA Rating: 95/100

Red Mullet with Piquillo Pepper, Kumquat & Langoustine Bisque

Paired with PN AYC18

The third course combined the delicacy of red mullet with the depth of langoustine bisque. Piquillo pepper contributed a smoky-sweet edge, while kumquat added bittersweet brightness. PN AYC18 proved a bold partner, with its Aÿ-driven red-fruited intensity and vinous power. It didn’t merely accompany the dish — it wrestled with it, sometimes complementing, sometimes contrasting, but always keeping the palate engaged.

PN AYC18 – DWA Rating: 94/100

Comté Reserve by Bernard Antony

Paired with Bollinger’s 2014 La Côte Aux Enfants Champagne

The final savory course brought a spectacular marriage of icons: aged Comté from Bernard Antony, renowned affineur of Alsace, alongside Bollinger’s 2014 La Côte Aux Enfants Champagne. The cheese, nutty, crystalline, and deeply umami, demanded a wine of equal character. Bollinger responded with one of its rarest treasures — a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Aÿ, produced only in small quantities and seldom poured outside the maison.

In the 2014 vintage, La Côte Aux Enfants Champagne showed extraordinary finesse. Aromas of ripe orchard fruit, quince, chalk, and subtle spice unfurled from the glass, leading to a palate of immense depth, precision, and vinous power. Its length was remarkable: chalky grip, savory energy, and a finish that seemed to linger endlessly.

The pairing was inspired. The cheese’s salty nuttiness drew out the wine’s chalky core, while the umami richness resonated with its structure and fruit. For many guests, this was the highlight of the day — not because it outshone the PN TX20, but because it placed the new release in perspective.

Together, the TX20 from Tauxières and La Côte Aux Enfants from Aÿ illustrated Bollinger’s deep relationship with Pinot Noir: two terroirs, two expressions, one unifying philosophy of power and elegance.

2014 La Côte Aux Enfants Champagne – DWA Rating: 98/100

If you would like to read more about the 2014 La Côte Aux Enfants Champagne you can read our individual review here.

Final Thoughts

The PN TX20 is more than just a new champagne; it is a statement. With this release, Bollinger celebrates Tauxières, a terroir of finesse and energy, and demonstrates once again its mastery over Pinot Noir. The launch at Bougainville elevated the experience into something unforgettable — a journey of taste, texture, and terroir, where food and wine were not just paired but united in dialogue.

For those who follow the PN series, TX20 is a compelling continuation: fresher and more precise than its predecessors, yet undeniably Bollinger. For newcomers, it is an invitation into the house’s world, where innovation meets tradition and every bottle tells a story.

This was not simply a lunch. It was a symphony of Pinot Noir, terroir, and gastronomy, played at the highest level.

This article is written by our own Niels Aarts. We would like to thank Champagne Bollinger (Eva Gottesman), their Dutch importer Verbunt Verlinden and the team of Restaurant Bougainville (in particular Tim Golsteijn and Ronald Opten).

Champagne Bollinger is distributed by Verbunt Verlinden, the new PN is included in the portfolio but available in limited quantities.