We sell a lot of grower Champagne in San Francisco. You know the names—Larmandier-Bernier, Suenen, Laherte, Laval, etc.. The wines are precise, site-driven, small-batch. They’re made by farmers who also happen to be artisans. And they’ve reshaped how we think about Champagne.

But there’s another category of Champagne. It’s not made by a Grower, but by a top House. It’s a House Champagne that deserves attention not because of the brand behind it – though we must admit that Bollinger is an excellent brand! — but because it does an extremely good job of what Growers also do, but with the extra luxurious twist and sheer experience that only a top House can offer. The PN series from Bollinger is in this rather small category.

This is the fifth edition: PN TX20. It’s 100% Pinot Noir, based on the 2020 vintage, aged four years on lees, and backed by reserve wines going back to 2006. It’s taut and linear, with an earthy, savory edge that calls to mind smoked tea and crushed chalk. And despite 2020’s reputation as a warm, plush vintage, this wine is full of restraint. Bollinger knows exactly how to thread that needle.

Each bottling in the PN series highlights a different Pinot Noir village. For TX20, it’s Tauxières, a lesser-known Premier Cru on the Montagne de Reims. High-altitude, cool-exposed, and rich in chalk, Tauxières delivers clarity, citrus, and minerality rather than weight or richness. It’s often overshadowed by famous neighbors like Aÿ or Verzenay—but that’s exactly why Bollinger chose it. They wanted a backbone.

This isn’t Special Cuvée with a single-village twist. It’s a micro-blend from one of Champagne’s most experienced cellars, designed to tease out nuance, texture, and character from a specific place. And while it’s serious enough for collectors—yes, people are now collecting these PN editions—it’s also just flat-out delicious. Complex but not forbidding. Deep but still refreshing. If you’ve ever loved a wine from, say, Egly, you’ll find something familiar here.

TX20 is available now in limited quantity. It’s not inexpensive, but it is everything we want from a House Champagne in the era of grower dominance: thoughtful, place-driven, and beautifully made.

 

Bollinger Champagne PN TX20 NV - $137.99
"Named after the village of Tauxières, from which it takes its abbreviation, the new NV Blanc de Noirs PN TX20 contains 40% fruit sourced from Tauxières, and the remaining composition draws largely from Aÿ-Champagne and Avenay-Val-d'Or. This cuvée is based on the 2020 vintage (48%), complemented by reserve wines from 2019 (stored in tank) as well as 2012 and 2008 (both aged in magnums). Disgorged in February 2025 with a dosage of eight grams per liter, it bursts from the glass with expressive aromas of ripe pear, tangerine peel, clove and brioche. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, broad and textural, with lively acidity and a generous core of fruit. The finish is expansive, though a subtle sweetness emerges, lending the impression of being one of the least dry expressions among the house’s Pinot Noir Champagnes. Vinified equally in stainless steel and oak barrels, approximately 80% of the fruit for this cuvée is sourced from Bollinger’s own vineyards." - RP92 Kristaps Karklins (Robert Parker)