In the mid-1960s, while many Champagne houses developed innovative bottle designs, Bollinger focused on the "Taste of Bollinger". In 1967, there was no custom of drinking aged champagne, but Madame Bollinger's bold idea and foresight led her to disgorging the 1952 vintage just before shipping and releasing it as an Extra Brut. This solidified Madame Bollinger's vision that Bollinger's prestige comes from the wine, not the packaging, and created a completely new and unique tasting experience. It brought a contrast with the freshness derived from the natural acidity of the grapes, the dosage of the Extra Brut, and the complex bouquet of an excellent vintage. It was a truly innovative moment, and not only was it spoken of as the Bollinger style, but it was also established as a champagne category. This vintage champagne became known to the world as "Bollinger RD", and the label was the first in the history of champagne to be clearly marked with the date of disgorgement. In the mid-1960s, while many Champagne houses developed innovative bottle designs, Bollinger focused on the "Taste of Bollinger". In 1967, there was no custom of drinking aged champagne, but Madame Bollinger's bold idea and foresight led her to disgorging the 1952 vintage just before shipping and releasing it as an Extra Brut. This solidified Madame Bollinger's vision that Bollinger's prestige comes from the wine, not the packaging, and created a completely new and unique tasting experience. It brought a contrast with the freshness derived from the natural acidity of the grapes, the dosage of the Extra Brut, and the complex bouquet of an excellent vintage. It was a truly innovative moment, and not only was it spoken of as the Bollinger style, but it was also established as a champagne category. This vintage champagne became known to the world as "Bollinger RD", and the label was the first in the history of champagne to be clearly marked with the date of disgorgement. Appearance: Sparkling gold
Aroma: Along with the fresh scent of bergamot, you can also feel the enchanting aroma of marzipan, stewed apricots, honey and bread.
Taste: Rich and fine bubbles. A lively yet complex wine with flavors of Mirabelle, mango melon and citrus. The flavor of raw hazelnuts and saltiness continues into a long finish. How to enjoy
We recommend serving this wine at 12°C to experience the evolution of the unique style and bouquet of Bollinger RD. When opened in the year of disgorgement, it offers a complex fruitiness. It also has a great vintage, with a few more years of aging after release that enhances the depth of the bouquet. Dishes made with hazelnuts from Piedmont complement RD08.
Made using only the first squeeze of 25-month aged Gruyere cheese, 100% barrel fermented
Bollinger only releases RD when the grapes are good. The 2008 is a prestige champagne with a sense of precision and elegance.
Aging: Aged in a bottle with a natural cork for a luxurious period of time that is more than four times longer than the legal aging period for Champagne AOP. This long period of aging creates a complex bouquet. RD (Récemment Dégorgé): Short for Récemment Dégorgé. Released approximately 2-3 months after disgorgement. Disgorging immediately before this gives the wine a distinctive freshness.
Dosage: Extra Brut, 3g/L "We Are Bolly Family" is their motto. Champagne Bollinger is a family-run grand maison located in the village of Ay in the Champagne region, the holy land of Pinot Noir, since 1829. They are known for producing elegant, high-quality wines, backed by craftsmanship supported by traditional methods by artisans.
It is one of the few maisons that has continued to ferment in wooden barrels since its founding. Due to its consistent style and stable quality, it has been highly praised by food professionals such as chefs and sommeliers at Michelin-starred restaurants, and has gained such passionate support that it is said to be known by all wine lovers.
In particular, the "Special Cuvée", a masterpiece that embodies the style of the Maison and is praised for going beyond the boundaries of non-vintage wines, is a masterpiece that continues to be loved by Bolly Lovers around the world. Another point not to be missed is that the Maison has a good sense of balance between respecting tradition and constantly having new and innovative ideas, learning from the past and creating something new.
In 1884, Queen Victoria awarded the Maison the Royal Warrant, allowing it to supply to the British Royal Family. For the 140 years since, the Maison has maintained this honor and continues to supply to the British Royal Family today.
Another person who is indispensable when talking about the Maison is Madame Elisabeth Lily Bollinger. As one of the leading women in the Champagne region, her achievements, which have been passed down throughout history, are an important legacy for the Maison. After the death of her husband Jacques Bollinger, the third-generation head of the family, she protected the Maison from the turmoil of World War II for 30 years from 1941 to 1971, a time of global turmoil, and after the war, she worked hard to popularize champagne. In 1967, she released the super prestige champagne "RD", an immortal masterpiece that fully embodies the Maison's philosophy, and Madame Lily's sincere thoughts are still passed down to the present day.
The gentleman's agreement with the 007 film series began in 1973 with the eighth film in the series, Live and Let Die. Since then, over the course of all 15 films, Champagne has established itself as "James Bond's Champagne of choice."
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The company owns 180 hectares of its own vineyards in the Champagne region, a renowned World Heritage Site, and many of the grapes it needs for its production are sourced from its own vineyards, mainly Grand Cru and Premier Cru, scattered throughout the Marne department, a traditional Champagne-producing region.
The Maison is also committed to creating a sustainable environment that will pass on its passion for high-quality winemaking and high level of expertise to the next generation. In 2012, it became the first Champagne house in France to receive the HVE (High Environmental Value) certification, an environmental value emphasis certification set by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food. In 2014, it was further certified as Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne. This honor was also a first in France, demonstrating the Maison's pioneering efforts in environmental protection. <Brewing>
The black grape, Pinot Noir, is the base of the blend. It dominates every cuvée, making up over 60% of the grapes, giving it depth, complexity and power. It is also worth noting that oak barrels are used to promote fermentation. At Bollinger, reserve wines are aged for 5 to 12 years in magnum bottles by cru and vintage, and when blending, 5 to 10% of the reserve wine is added to the wines made from the latest vintage and the previous year's harvest.
The Maison is also unique in that it takes a "luxurious amount of time" to age the wines over a long period of time. Non-vintage cuvées are aged for three years, vintage for at least five years, and "RD" for eight years or more.
Bollinger is known for its dry taste. Dosage is kept to a minimum. After disgorgement, the wine is left to rest for three months before being shipped.