Bollinger R.D. 2004 is a bright and deep gold colour. A bouquet of abundant fruit notes, both stewed and candied, with touches of sweet spice. Mirabelle and orange aromas unfold over time. A grand generosity on the palate, full and harmonious, bringing intense flavours of cooked fruit and tarte tatin. It can be enjoyed immediately, to discover the freshness recent disgorgement brings with it, or alternatively it has tremendous potential for ageing and will continue to develop for decades to come. The 2004 vintage of Bollinger R.D. is a blend of 88% grands crus and 12% premiers crus, using exclusively the first press of the juice. The bottles have spent over 12 years ageing under natural cork in the cool, dark Bollinger Champagne cellars with manual riddling, and were disgorged in July 2017. A very low 'extra brut' dosage of 3 grams per litre is added to allow the wine's natural character to shine. Bollinger R.D. is a unique concept and style of Champagne, pioneered by Madame Bollinger in 1963. R.D. stands for "Recently Disgorged" and indicates that the wine was disgorged less than a year before its release. By doing so, the wine retains its freshness and an extraordinary intensity whilst also having the rich complexity of an older vintage.
Background: Champagne Houses have always kept a collection of old wines to share with friends, family and guests on special occasions. These wines were always disgorged a short time before serving, so that those invited could share a moment of perfection when the wine would have a remarkable freshness and sumptuous aromatic character. Madame Bollinger realised the greatness of these wines, and wanted to allow the whole world the opportunity to experience what she considered to be "the ultimate in French Champagne". The first cuvee released in 1963 was the R.D. 1952, the first ever Champagne to bear its disgorgement date. Since then, Bollinger R.D. has only ever been released on 25 other occasions, for the most truly exceptional of vintages.
The bottle comes presented in a Bollinger RD branded box. |