Bollinger R.D Champagne 2008

Robert ParkerWhen I was tasting Bollinger's brilliant Grande Année in this vintage, I was trying to imagine how good the 2008 Extra-Brut R. D. would be, as the style of the vintage seems almost perfectly adapted to this cuvée. Four years later, we have the answer, and the wine is brilliant. Disgorged in 2022, it's more reserved out of the gates than the dramatic Grande Année was on release, unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, orange peel, freshly baked bread, subtle hints of fino sherry, wet stones and macadamia nut. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a deep core of fruit that's animated by racy acids and a refined pinpoint mousse, concluding with a bone-dry finish. Extremely harmonious and full of youthful energy, it's the finest R. D. of the decade and one that will richly reward a bit of additional age on cork. In style, the most obvious comparison is with the 1996, but the 2008 is more integrated and harmonious on release. These bottles were disgorged late last year with three grams per liter dosage.

James SucklingAmazing aromas of sweet uncooked pie crust with almonds. Then you smell dried apples, apricots and pineapple. Grilled fruits, too. Full-bodied. So tangy and energetic with sizzling acidity and creamy tannins. Flavorful and lightly oxidized at the finish. Smacking my lips. Agile. Ginger and spices. A touch of bitter complexity with some salinity. Extreme character that grabs your attention. 13 years and six months aging on the lees with cork. 3 grams dosage. 71% pinot noir and 29% chardonnay. Don’t serve too cold. Drink or hold.Jeb DunnuckThe 2008 Champagne R.D. Extra Brut is chiseled, powerful, and packaged 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. Aromatically, it opens to notes of toasted almond, preserved Meyer lemon, brothy saline, and vibrant fresh fruit. Displaying tension and grace, it has the richness of Bollinger but is more upright, with an electric mineral energy that courses through the finish, which 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 is going to be a vintage of RD we talk about for a very, very long time. Cellar it if you can and drink 2026-2056. Disgorged December 2022.

Bollinger Champagne blev grundlagt i 1829 og er siden blevet et af de mest respekterede symboler på kvalitet, luksus og livet i overhalingsbanen, og husets track-record for konstant topkvalitet er fuldstændig uden sidestykke. 

Bollinger er desuden den fremmeste eksponent for Pinot Noir- druen i Champagne, og druen danner rygraden i Bollinger-stilen, som er sofistikeret, elegant og kompleks. De fleste af husets vine indeholder ca. 2/3 Pinot Noir, hvorfor Bollinger-vinene er kraftigere end alle andre champagner og er et af de sikreste valg, når det handler om Pinot Noir-druen i champagne.

Kontinuitet i stilen er sikret af en enestående samling af over 800.000 reservemagnums, hvilket gør Bollinger til det eneste champagnehus med en så bred og præcis palet af aromaer i deres blandinger. Som en garanti for suveræn kvalitet, vinificeres de bedste crus i lagrede træfade, og Champagnehuset lader sine vine modne dobbelt så længe som appellationskravet. Det gør de, fordi en god vin har brug for tid til at udvikle sin fulde karakter.

Selve vingården dækker hele 179 hektar, hvoraf de fleste er klassificeret som Grand eller Premier cru.