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Wine Description
The Story
R.D. (Recently Disgorged) is the result of a great vision of Madame Bollinger, R.D. is a magnification of the very best that the Champagne region’s terroir has to offer. R.D. starts as a Grande Année, the prestige cuvée of Bollinger, and is allowed to mature for an extra 8 to 20 years, sometimes more. This special aging allows the wine to maintain a unique combination of freshness and vivacity, while developing delicate and complex aromas. The result is a unique style of its own that is highly acclaimed by Bollinger lovers and true wine connoisseurs. The disgorgement date - clearly stated on the back label - is informational. It does not mean that R.D. should be consumed soon afterwards. Much to the contrary, the R.D. wines are characterized by an impressive capacity to age, not only before, but also after the date of disgorgement.
Wine Information
1999 Blend
63% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay
82% Grands crus, 18% Premiers crus
Only the very best among vintage champagnes become Bollinger R.D.: 1999 was a magnificent year with hints of the 1970 and 1983 vintages
Maturation
A very long maturation, more than three times longer than required by the Appellation, for an infinite array of flavours: a true wine alchemy
Dosage
Bollinger R.D. will enhance all gourmet cuisine but its aura is such that it creates a special occasion on its own. Offering it as a gift is a sign of a great friendship.
In order to fully appreciate its unique style, bouquet and aromas, it is best served at 12°c, or more.
Bollinger R.D. can be enjoyed right away to appreciate the exceptional freshness due to its recent disgorging; you may also choose to let it mature further: its ageing potential is endless.
"Mathieu Kauffmann, Cellar Master
R.D. stands for Récemment Dégorgé, recently disgorged: Madame Bollinger created this legendary vintage in 1961, giving the world the opportunity to taste a champagne aged on lees for an exceptionally long time. Her great vision? Enabling knowledgeable wine connoisseurs to share a very special moment, when very recently disgorged wine is as fresh and aromatic as ever. It was a small revolution in the world of champagne… The daring Bollinger R.D. could only become James Bond’s favourite champagne.
Vintage 1999
A difficult start to the year led to early budbreak. There were some damaging hailstorms in early May, but the frost ultimately stayed away. The summer was overall warm and thanks to the hot and dry August, the grapes looked promising for the harvest. However, a damp September challenged producers and dilution was an issue for some. The 1999 harvest that started on September 15th produced a large yield (12,989 kg/ha) of sweet grapes that resulted in soft wines, low in acidity, which produced Champagnes that, in many cases, miss linearity and structure. Voluptuous and enjoyable with ripe, fruity, even exotic characters but in most cases for the medium-term only, even if the best seem to be maturing better than initially expected. The red wines of the year were exceptional and resulted in some outstanding prestige cuvée rosés, such as Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé and Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé.