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R.D. Bollinger 2004

Bollinger, Champagne, France

Bollinger
Champagne France
  • 97
    Points
  • The 766 best
    of 3 290 954
    wines globally
  • 10 Pros of
    10 recommend
    this wine
154 97
  • Taste
  • Moment

  • Country ranking ?

    654

  • Producer ranking ?

    25

  • Decanting time

    25min

  • When to drink

    now to 2030

  • Food Pairing

    roasted scallops

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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"The lovely nose of acacia blossom, toast and graphite leads to flavors of poached quince, fleur de sel, white cherry, lemon pith and almond skin in this dry and harmonious Champagne. Almost airy and ethereal in texture, yet the finely woven flavor range goes on and on, echoing on the finish. Disgorged June 2017. Drink now through 2034." 
96 Points Wine Spectator
 

"Very classical forward, intense, tertiary RD (recently disgorged) nose wi...

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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...

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Wine Information

Blend: 64% Pinot Noir and 36% Chardonnay from 15-20 Grand Cru and Premier villages. Coming from Ay in the Vallée de la Marne.

Aging: +13 years on its lees under cork

Disgorged: 20th November 2017

Dosage: 3 g/l

Since then, just twenty four vintages have been released and this year we will see the twenty fifth: Bollinger R.D. 2004. Made exclusively from the first press of juice (tête de cuvée) from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards onl...

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Vintage 2004

A great example of how large yields do not necessarily mean poor quality in Champagne. As a reaction to the previous year's low yields, the vines produced one of the largest crops on record. The growing season proceeded without major difficulties but the bumper crop called for bud thinning. August brought about cooler weather and some rains, increasing the risk of rot. The massive crop, averaging 13,990 kg/ha, was picked from September 18th on...

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Average Bottle Price

2020
190€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

color

Medium, Yellow and Bright

ending

Long, Lingering and Vibrant

flavors

Citrus, White fruits, Smoky, Bread, Mineral and Floral

nose

Youthful, Complex, Pure and Refined

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Perfectly balanced, Concentrated, Well-Integrated, Youthful, Medium-bodied, Fresh, Focused, Vivid and Dry

Verdict

Fine and Masterpiece

Written Notes

This is a superb RD, richer and riper than most. The vintage conditions of 2004 have imbued the wine with a glorious level of richness and complexity. There are dark fruits, mushrooms, nuts and florals, notably lemon blossoms. It offers impressive length and a wonderfully seductive texture. There is more fruit here than one might have expected, notably stonefruits such as apricots, and if one looks really hard, it seemed to me that there was even the merest hint of pineapple. This is glorious drinking now, but it has many years ahead to reveal even more of its magnificence. 96.

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  • 96p

Good looking normal size bottle and in an perfect condition. Colour is yellow, and looking bright and light. On the nose it is wide, seductive, fresh and complex. The taste is elegant, round, fresh, and dry, and high in acidity, medium-bodied and with multi-dimensional structure. On the palate it is layered and has mineral, floral, citrus, dried-fruit, bread and white fruits flavours. The finish is endless. This wine is masterpiece. I paid around 100-200€ a bottle. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 10-15 years, decant at least 15min before tasting and this is a good invest wine. Good value for money. I do recommend.

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  • 97p

Rich and voluptuous wine, with sweet, fruity, even tropical appeal. Structured and muscular, with majestic intensity. Fine juniper and hazelnut complexity emerge in the glass. A touch grander than La Grande Année 2004 and seems sweeter and rounder.

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  • 94p

“Bollinger R.D. 2004 has been aged for more than 13 years in the heart of the House’s cellars in Aÿ. Disgorged just a few months ago, it finally reveals all the brilliance of the 2004 vintage. This is a generous wine with intense aromas and an incomparable freshness for such age.”Gilles Descôtes, Cellar Master

To the eye, a bright and deep golden colour. On the nose abundant stewed and candied fruits, accompanied by touches of sweet spice. With time, notes of mirabelle and preserved orange unfold in the glass. On the palate; a grand generosity. Intense cooked fruit and tarte tatin flavours express themselves in a mouth that is full and harmonious.


Bollinger R.D. will enhance all great gastronomic moments. R.D. 2004 marries perfectly with the most refined dishes, such as pigeon cooked pink or roasted scallops. The intensity of the wine makes it the perfect partner for an aged Gruyère or Comté.

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Good looking normal size bottle. Colour is yellow and medium. On the nose it is open, intense, youthful, complex, refined and pure. The taste is fresh, focused, vivid, and dry, and average in acidity, medium-bodied, with perfectly balanced, well-structured, well-integrated, concentrated structure and youthful. On the palate it is layered and has citrus, white fruits and smoky flavours. The finish is long, lingering and vibrant. This wine is fine. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 1-5 years.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 95p
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Information

Origin

Ay, Champagne

Grapes

64% Pinot Noir
36% Chardonnay

Other wines from this producer

B13 Blanc de Noirs

Bollinger Collection

Bollinger Special Cuvée

Coteaux Champenois La Côte aux Enfants

La Côte aux Enfants

La Grande Année

La Grande Année rosé

PN TX 17

PN VZ15

PNVZ16

RD Collection

Rosé

Special Cuvée

Verzenay Réserve

Vieilles Vignes Françaises

Vieilles Vignes Francaises Collection

Vins Clairs Cramant Vinifié en Fût

Vintage Champagne

Inside Information

The majority of Champagne Houses have always kept a collection of old wines in order to share with their family, close friends and special guests. The custom was that these old wines were especially disgorged only a very short time before being tasted, so that those invited could share a perfect moment when the wine, disgorged just recently, would offer an extraordinary freshness and sumptuous aromatic expression. 

This is the boldness of both R.D. and Madame Bollinger who, realising the greatness of these wines, was the first to want to commercialise them in order to offer the entire world the chance to experience this tasting moment, considered at the time as “the ultimate in French Champagne”. At Bollinger, this exceptional cuvée would be called R.D. for “Recently Disgorged”, and its labels would be the first in history to bear a disgorgement date. A small revolution in the world of Champagne... 

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