{"product_id":"bollinger-r-d-extra-brut-champagne-france-2008","title":"Bollinger, R.D. Extra Brut, Champagne, France, 2008","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eOverview of the Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIn 1829, Champagne Bollinger introduced an instantly recognizable, dry, toasty style that connoisseurs around the globe have coveted ever since. Six generations of the Bollinger family have maintained that trademark style, and Bollinger is one of the rare Grande Marque houses to be owned, controlled and managed by the same family since it was founded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith 399 acres of vineyards situated in the best Grands Crus and Premiers Crus villages, Bollinger relies on its own estate for nearly two-thirds of its grape requirements, including the Pinot Noir that gives its Champagne its distinctive roundness and elegance. Bollinger is one of a select few houses that can control the quality of its grape supply so carefully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBollinger is renowned for its stringent quality standards. It adheres to traditional methods, including individual vinification of each marc and cru, barrel fermentation (it is the last Champagne house to employ a full-time cooper) and extra-aging on the lees prior to disgorgement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMembers of the British Royal Court were among the first to embrace Bollinger’s unmistakable quality, and Queen Victoria made Bollinger the exclusive purveyor to the Court by Royal Warrant in 1884. Besides royalty, loyal devotees have included heads of state, celebrities and even famous fictional characters: Agent 007, James Bond, demands the exclusive Champagne Bollinger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinemaker\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eDenis Bunner\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrape \/ Blend\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e71% Pinot Noir \u0026amp; 29% Chardonnay\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cu style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eOrigin\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eChampagne, France\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003eWinemaker's Tasting Notes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eA wine glimmering with golden reflections. Enticing aromas of marzipan, stewed apricots, honey and breadcrumbs accompany fresh notes of bergamot. A rich, precise mousse. Citrus notes are followed by flavours of Mirabelle plums and vine peaches. A very vivaciours wine which unfolds to reveal exceptional complexity. Notes of fresh hazelnuts and salinity combine to create an intense, everlasting finish. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to showcase its unique style, we recommend serving Bollinger R.D. at a temperature of 12°C, then to appreciate the evolution of its aromas over the course of the tasting.\u003cbr\u003eThere are two different experiences possible.\u003cbr\u003e- The first entails a discovery of Bollinger R.D. during the same year of its disgorgement. In this case, the wine expresses a specific aromatic range, with complex fruity notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- The alternative experience involves leaving Bollinger R.D. for several more years to mature in the cellar, which then reveals the depth of aromas characteristic of the finest vintages. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e99 Points - James Suckling\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eAmazing 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eThe 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. (AF)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e98 Points - Wine Advocate \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen 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. (WK) 98+\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e97 Points - Decanter\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBright in colour with gold reflections, the aromatics are immediately captivating, with marzipan, acacia, apricot and patisserie all vying for attention. It’s impossibly youthful yet reassuringly mature, a bread basket of delicious contradiction. Cerebral seduction ensues on the palate, with dried fruits, bergamot and lime joining the party, then come the hazelnut notes – which have been identified as a leitmotif for the vintage – and a clean, almost chalky finish to restore rigorous harmony. Precision in no way undermines generosity, and generosity in no way undermines potential. A very fine piece of work all in all, tasted from magnum, alongside bottle and jeroboam. (SF)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e96 Points - Vinous \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBollinger’s 2008 R.D. is a powerful, vinous Champagne. Apricot, dried pear, tangerine oil, hazelnut, dried flowers, chamomile and brioche all race across the palate. The 2008 boasts notable depth and textural intensity, with a feeling of phenolic, almost tannin-driven grip from the Pinot that propels the finish. At times the R.D. is quite exotic, even if there is a good kick of energy from the bright, salivating acids and low dosage. The 2008 R.D. is very much a Champagne for the dinner table, a wine that benefits immensely from aeration. In 2008, the blend comprises fruit from 18 villages, 71% Pinot Noir, mostly from Aÿ and Verzenay and 29% Chardonnay, mostly from Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant. Dosage is 3 grams of dosage. I would give this a few more years in bottle to fully come together. (AG)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eProduct size: 750ml\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Breakthru","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55720568652081,"sku":null,"price":398.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/Bollinger_R.D.ExtraBrut_Champagne_France_2008_63320e90-4493-458c-a149-51f9f4de3e6d.jpg?v=1786663537","url":"https:\/\/merchantofwine.com\/products\/bollinger-r-d-extra-brut-champagne-france-2008","provider":"Merchant of Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}