A grand R.D. in the making' - Richard Juhlin

Bollinger is special among the great houses of Champagne, not least because of an attachment to the local land going back to the 15th century. They have large enough holdings to supply some 70% of their own grapes - far above the regional average - which puts them in a strong position today as demand for Champagne grows fast in new markets such as China and Russia. And they are the only house to regularly release such a mature, long lees-aged wine: R.D..

R.D. (Récemment Dégorgé, or Recently Disgorged) was the brainchild of the great Madame Lily Bollinger, who took control of the house when she was left widowed during WWII; a Grande Année Champagne (the Bollinger vintage release) kept back, and back, and back, ageing for anything from 8 to 20 years before final release, when it appears in a brilliant, complex, spiced, honeyed (but still Extra Brut) style.

It is only produced in the best vintages; Mother Nature has supplied the outstanding Champagne vintage of 2002 to provide the latest incarnation of the R.D., conveniently coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its first, the 1952. It is a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and a 71%/29% blend of grand and premier crus. /NT