I vividly remember visiting Champagne in August 2003, and seeing the looks of astonishment, bewilderment and exasperation on the faces of the growers as they panted about the vineyards, trying to get pickers home half-way through their August holidays for the earliest and perhaps the weirdest harvest in living memory.

I was with Jean-Hervé Chiquet from Jacquesson and he was almost weeping over Chardonnay grapes from the best-tended vineyards (low yielding, leaf-plucked) which had morphed into hard yellow plastic, and Pinot Noir grapes shrivelled to very expensive (and not particularly tasty) raisins. It was obvious, even then, that this was never going to be a classic Champagne vintage. Bollinger, sensibly, has decided to celebrate its singularity by issuing a sui generis vintage wine which will go to market without any of the usual Grande Année packaging.

It's a blend of Pinot Noir from Aÿ and Verzenay with Chardonnay from Cuis. One sniff and you can see what has led the Bizots to have a little fun in this way. A vintage Bollinger which smells honeyed? Whatever next! It's full, structured and chewy on the palate. Breadth, depth and exuberance: I loved it - Bollinger on a Golden State vacation.