2007 Bollinger R.D.
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Tasting notes
The R.D. is so unmistakably Bollinger in style – it has that rich, creamy, layered texture that brings such breadth to the palate, while there’s a backbone of poised acidity that runs right through the palate. The nose is wonderfully exuberant and complex with toffee, vanilla, russet apple, red apple skin and honeycomb aromas sashaying out of the glass. The palate is initially very compact, with an impressive mid-palate weight at its core that beautifully counterpoints the more unctuous textural qualities of the wine as it open out with air. It is drinking beautifully now, but the overall freshness, balance and minimal tertiary development – even at 14 years of age – suggests a long life ahead.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The first wine served at the 'light' dinner on the night before the Vega Sicilia extravaganza . Notes are perforce relatively brief. Rich and mushroomy in Bollinger style on the nose with a notably dry finish. I think I might stand a good chance of identifying this wine blind… (JR)
Bollinger’s 2007 R.D. is superb, but it is also a wine that reflects the nature of a unique and challenging growing season. In most vintages the R.D. is marked by the distinct creaminess and breadth of Aÿ Pinot Noir. Two thousand seven, though, was a difficult year marked by very dry weather, rain at the end of the growing season and an early harvest in August, something that was not as common as it has become. Selection was essential. For the 2007, the blend is composed of just 14 villages compared to the more typical 18-25. Verzenay is the main Pinot component while Cramant plays the leading role in the Chardonnays. For these reasons, the 2007 is an R.D. driven by more focus, energy and tension than readers are used to seeing. Lemon confit, dried flowers, sage, mint, crushed rocks, almond and ginger are some of the aromas and flavors that give the 2007 its complex, multi-faceted personality. The 2007 can be enjoyed now, but I would prefer to cellar it for a few years. It will age effortlessly for decades as it moves through the various phases of its life. I was reminded of the way Champagne can magically traverse time by magical bottles of the 1976 R.D. and 1996 Vieilles Vignes Françaises I tasted recently. The blend is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, 91% Grand Cru fruit and the rest Premier Cru. Bollinger fans will notice the return of the original label, with the disgorgement date clearly visible, a tribute to Madame Bollinger, who was a pioneer in so many ways. Disgorged: July 10, 2020. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. (Originally published in May 2021)
This has such clarity and freshness with minerality to the bread-dough and praline aromas. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with a long, linear palate and a reserved finish. This is a wine that combines sophistication, complexity and aging potential. Late-disgorged magic. Drink or hold.
About the producer
Bollinger is one of the most renowned and coveted Champagne Houses in the world, famous for its Pinot-Noir-dominant wines, in particular La Grande Année and the rare Vieilles Vignes Françaises (from pre-phylloxera vines).