A great champagne with a complex aromatic expression and exceptional ageing potential The estate Nicknamed “Boll” by those from Champagne and “Bolly” by the English, the timeless and legendary Bollinger Champagne House forms part of a small circle of three great Champagne houses. Bollinger champagne’s style is defined through its remarkable precision, which is brought to every moment of production. With a respect for tradition, riddling done by hand, natural corks for magnum reserve bottles and the last permanent cooper in the region, excellence has symbolised Bollinger champagne culture since its creation in 1829 in Aÿ. More than an art, it is a heritage. The vineyard Bollinger's uniqueness comes from its 174 hectares divided into seven main vineyards in Champagne, 85% of which are Grands Crus and Premiers Crus, making the house one of the few to produce its own grapes for its blends. Pinot Noir is the house's signature grape variety and represents 60% of the vineyard's vines. The wine A symbol of Bollinger's creative audacity, it was during the 1960s that the house created the R.D. cuvée, for "Récemment Dégorgée" (recently disgorged). Conceived by the illustrious Madame Bollinger and produced exclusively in exceptional years, Cuvée R.D. is a vintage champagne aged on its lees, offered for tasting just after disgorgement. Freed from the codes of the time, Bollinger R.D. has a unique taste that started a revolution in the champagne world. R.D. Récemment Dégorgé 2008 is made from 18 different Grand Crus and Premier Crus, the majority of which are in Aÿ and Verzenay for the Pinot Noir, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant for the Chardonnay. This Extra Brut champagne is dosed at 3g/L. The vintage Marked by unstable climatic conditions, 2008 was characterised by a cool spring which gave way to a stormy summer. These conditions had an impact on the vineyard, causing significant irregularity between grape varieties, crus, sites and plots. In spite of this, thanks to the know-how at Maison Bollinger and the hard work of its teams, the vineyard’s health was preserved. The harvest, which began on 15 September, was carried out under favourable weather conditions and produced high quality grapes, giving rise to a vintage in which the vivacity and power of the Chardonnay grapes harmoniously combines with the structure of the Pinot Noir. Winemaking and ageing This exceptional cuvée benefits from an ageing period more than four times longer than the appellation’s rules require. Blend Pinot Noir (71%) Chardonnay (29%). Stores at 12 degrees