"Brilliant.....the finest R.D of the decade" - 98+ points, Wine Advocate

Bollinger R.D. is only produced in the finest vintages – there have only been 27 releases since Madame Bollinger’s unique idea in 1967 to bottle a recently disgorged (R.D.) mature vintage (in this case, the 1952) with the dosage of an extra-brut – with the wine, she affirmed her vision - whilst so many other houses had begun to focus on their 'prestige cuvee,' often sold in fancy packaging, Maison Bollinger's prestige would come from it's wine, not its packaging. Madame Bollinger offered the world a totally new wine tasting experience, which contrasted exceptional freshness on the palate - thanks to the natural acidity of the grapes at harvest and the extra-brut dosage - with the aromatic intensity of the greatest vintages. It was a revolutionary moment that would not only forever inform the Bollinger style, but also the champagne category as a whole. The first wine ever to put a disgorgement date on the label, and the bottle today features the same material and design for its label as the original 1952 release.

2008 was an exceptional vintage in Champagne, marked by a healthy yield of Pinot Noir and exquisite Chardonnay. The wines were richly aromatic from the start, the Chardonnays lively and powerful, and Pinot Noirs expressive and balanced. The Bollinger team unanimously agree that 2008 is likely the finest R.D release ever, and last week it was compared with the great 1979 (which was also generously poured last week) and the legendary Bollinger 1928 (which, sadly, was not!). comparisons were also made to the wonderful 1996, but a fresher, more complete version. The 2008 is a gorgeous blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay: 90% of the fruit is from Grand Cru vineyards (and the remainder from Premier Crus) - mainly Ay and Verzenay for the Pinot Noir, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant for the Chardonnay. The outcome is spectacular already but will equally be incredibly long-lived.
 
R.D 2008 is the first R.D. to have been aged in the “1846” Bollinger bottle. This unique shape offers beneficial properties for the quality of the wine. The idea in using the curved shape of the bottle is to get that perfect balance of a “small magnum” with a narrower neck and a wider base, to very slightly slow down the oxygen exchange and therefore give a better quality wine with longer ageing potential.

Denis Bunner, Chef de Cave at Champagne Bollinger said on the evening: “Bollinger R.D is an exceptional wine from a great vintage, so exceptional that I believe it is the future 1928, which was a blockbuster for the house!”