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Bollinger : RD Récemment Dégorgé 2008

Name: Bollinger : RD Récemment Dégorgé 2008
Brand: Bollinger
SKU: 3019/08
Price: 341 GBP
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.64 (513 reviews)

Champagne

- White - See details

Parker | 98+

J. Robinson | 18

Decanter | 97

Wine Spectator | 97

J. Suckling | 99

Vinous - A. Galloni | 96

The Wine Independent | 98

£341.00 Incl. VAT & DP

(

£341.00 / Unit

)

Packaging : Bottle in presentation case (75 cl)

1 x 75CL

£341.00

1 x 1.5L

£753.00

1 x 3L

£1,756.00

Only 1 available

In-Stock

DeliveryFree standard delivery from £ 250 purchase
Guaranteed provenanceWines sourced directly from the producing estates

ALL VINTAGES OF THIS WINE

2007

2002

All Bollinger champagnes

Marks and reviews

/100

Robert Parker

Kristaps Karklins

Disgorged in October 2024 with a dosage of three grams per liter, the 2008 Extra-Brut R.D. is superb, offering a bouquet of Granny Smith apple, pomelo and almond paste, mingled with white sandwich bread and oystershell. The medium- to full-bodied palate reveals a deep, vibrant core of fruit, underpinned by racy acidity and framed by high levels of structuring dry extract that assert themselves on the sapid, precise finish. This is a brilliant wine, built to age gracefully on its acidity, and it stands as one of the greatest achievements of the vintage. Its lower dosage, to my palate, also gives it the edge over La Grande Année in terms of energy and aromatic definition.

/100

Wine Spectator

Alison Napjus

This focused Champagne is all about the graceful definition of power, with an up-front, austere edge to the steely acidity, which is softened by the fine, plush mousse and well-integrated with the rich profile. Toasted hazelnut, crystallized honey, peach skin and nectarine flavors expand on the palate, accented by hints of ground ginger, oyster shell and preserved lemon, with a racy streak of salinity that drives the mouthwatering finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged October 2022. Drink now through 2038. 300 cases imported.

/100

James Suckling

So many dried-apple, grapefruit and buttery-croissant aromas follow through to a full body with density and richness, showing baking spices and pie crust. Turns fresh and vivid at the end with incredible acidity that contrasts the ripe fruit and electrifies your palate. 71% pinot noir and 29% chardonnay. Disgorged October 2024. Drink now.

/20

Jancis Robinson

71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay. Deliberately released only a few months after disgorgement to preserve freshness. Launched in the UK with great fanfare – or at least bagpipes, from the pipe band of the London Scottish regiment both outside and inside Spencer House in London. The excuse being that Lily Bollinger was a quarter Scottish. Bottle disgorged October 2022 Lightly smoky nose and extremely tense with some of the mushroom notes that are so characteristic of mature Bollinger. (Though hazelnuts were chosen as the overriding character and theme of the launch dinner by chef de cave Denis Bunner.) Still extremely youthful though it did open out in the glass, auguring well for bottle development.Magnum disgorged November 2022 Perhaps unexpectedly this was much more opulent and expressive on the nose than the bottle – much more flattering and less demanding. Though still there is piercing acidity and the whole is beautifully long and complete. Bollinger have always thought magnums the ideal size, better than bottles or jeroboams.Jeroboam Even paler and with a drier finish. (JR)

/100

Jeb Dunnuck

Audrey Frick

The 2008 Champagne R.D. Extra Brut is chiseled, powerful, and layered with a chalky mineral texture. Made from 70% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, with 3 grams per liter dosage, it pours a bright straw-yellow hue, while its aromatics are more mineral-tinged and feel a touch more noble and upright in character. On the nose, it opens to notes of toasted almond, preserved Meyer lemon, brothy salinity, and vibrant fresh fruit. Showing both tension and grace, it has the richness of Bollinger yet is more upright, with an electric mineral energy coursing through a finish that lasts for days. Mouthwatering and long, it’s a stunner. It needs more time to harmonize all its components, but this is a wine to cellar for the ages, and I think this will be a vintage of RD we’ll talk about for a very, very long time. Cellar it if you can and drink 2026–2056. Disgorged December 2022.

Description

A great champagne with a complex aromatic expression and exceptional ageing potential

The estate

Nicknamed “Boll” by those from Champagne and “Bolly” by the English, the timeless and legendary Bollinger Champagne House forms part of a small circle of three great Champagne houses. Bollinger champagne’s style is defined through its remarkable precision, which is brought to every moment of production. With a respect for tradition, riddling done by hand, natural corks for magnum reserve bottles and the last permanent cooper in the region, excellence has symbolised Bollinger champagne culture since its creation in 1829 in Aÿ. More than an art, it is a heritage.

The vineyard

Bollinger's uniqueness comes from its 174 hectares divided into seven main vineyards in Champagne, 85% of which are Grands Crus and Premiers Crus, making the house one of the few to produce its own grapes for its blends. Pinot Noir is the house's signature grape variety and represents 60% of the vineyard's vines.

The wine

A symbol of Bollinger's creative audacity, it was during the 1960s that the house created the R.D. cuvée, for "Récemment Dégorgée" (recently disgorged). Conceived by the illustrious Madame Bollinger and produced exclusively in exceptional years, Cuvée R.D. is a vintage champagne aged on its lees, offered for tasting just after disgorgement. Freed from the codes of the time, Bollinger R.D. has a unique taste that started a revolution in the champagne world.

R.D. Récemment Dégorgé 2008 is made from 18 different Grand Crus and Premier Crus, the majority of which are in Aÿ and Verzenay for the Pinot Noir, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant for the Chardonnay. This Extra Brut champagne is dosed at 3g/L.

The vintage

Marked by unstable climatic conditions, 2008 was characterised by a cool spring which gave way to a stormy summer. These conditions had an impact on the vineyard, causing significant irregularity between grape varieties, crus, sites and plots. In spite of this, thanks to the know-how at Maison Bollinger and the hard work of its teams, the vineyard’s health was preserved. The harvest, which began on 15 September, was carried out under favourable weather conditions and produced high quality grapes, giving rise to a vintage in which the vivacity and power of the Chardonnay grapes harmoniously combines with the structure of the Pinot Noir.

Winemaking and ageing

This exceptional cuvée benefits from an ageing period more than four times longer than the appellation’s rules require.

Blend

Pinot Noir (71%)
Chardonnay (29%).

Characteristics and tasting tips for R.D. Récemment Dégorgé 2008 from Bollinger

Tasting

Colour
The champagne is adorned with subtle golden higlights.

Nose
The nose is delicious and expressive, mingling scents of marzipan, apricot, honey, soft bread and refreshing notes of bergamot.

Palate
A precise attack gives way to a full and complex palate. Scents of mirabelle plum, vine peach and citrus harmoniously mix up to a lingering, saline finish.

Food and wine pairing

The visionary Madame Bollinger recommended to the sommeliers of the time that they taste Cuvée R.D. during a meal. In order to bring out the aromatic richness of this cuvée, Piedmont hazelnuts, a 25 month-matured Gruyère cheese or a Candelous sheep's cheese are refined pairings.

Storage

There are two unique ways to taste Bollinger R.D. 2008. It is possible to taste this vintage champagne in the year following its disgorgement or to lay down the champagne in the cellar and wait several years, to allow the full aromatic potential of this cuvée to emerge.

To serve

For the best tasting, serve at 12°C.