Bollinger R.D. 2008 Gift Box

Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut, Vintage Champagne, France, Gift Box, 2008 

Grapes: Blending 18 different crus, 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay. 90% of the fruit is from Grand Cru vineyards (10% from Premier Crus) - mainly Ay & Verzenay for Pinot Noir, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger & Cramant for the Chardonnay. Fermented entirely in oak barrels.

Only made in the best vintages, Bollinger R.D. is unique, a vintage with extended ageing on the lees, before being disgorged by hand. The result is a powerful wine with aromatic intensity and extraordinary freshness on the palate, emphasised by the "Extra Brut" dosage (3g/L).

Producer Tasting Note:

Appearance - A wine glimmering with golden reflections

Nose - Enticing aromas of marzipan, stewed apricots, honey and breadcrumbs accompany fresh notes of bergamot.

Palate - A rich, precise mousse. Citrus notes are followed by flavours of Mirabelle plums and vine peaches. A very vivacious wine which unfolds to reveal exceptional complexity. Notes of fresh hazelnuts and salinity combine to create an intense, everlasting finish.

"When 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."

98+/100 points, William Kelley, WINE ADVOCATE, March 2023

Bollinger recommend drinking this wine with scallops served with Piedmont hazelnuts.