- The 2002 and 2004 vintages are drinking beautifully now.
- However, they do not yet have the nutty, chocolatey maturity of the 1988 and 1979 vintages.
It is amazing how the longer yeast ageing has changed the R.D. 2004 compared to the La Grande Annee 2004. The latter is a powerful champagne with intense Pinot aromas. The R.D. 2004 is much finer and more restrained. Open it three or four hours beforehand, as it opens up beautifully when exposed to air. It then smells of dried apricots, hazelnuts and nougat and has great freshness and finesse on the palate. It is already in top form with potential for improvement.
In the 1960s, Lily Bollinger had the unusual idea of combining the refined maturity of an older vintage, in which the fruit is no longer the dominant feature, with the yeasty freshness of a champagne that has just been disgorged. In 1967, three R.D. vintages were launched simultaneously, as the quantities were small: the 1952 vintage appeared in England, Bollinger's most important market. The 1953 vintage was reserved for France and Switzerland. In the U.S.A. and Italy, the 1955 vintage was already available.
