Bollinger RD 2008

Intensely roasted nuts, caramel, honey and a salty minerality are the first impressions. With a little air, fruit also emerges and complements the nut and roasted flavours. The RD 2008 already leaves a deep sense of satisfaction, but of course it is worth waiting. Experience with similar vintages teaches us that with years to come the striking acidity and yeasty perlage will integrate perfectly into the silky palate and the flavours evocative of nougat, gianduja, dried apricots and roasted coffee will become even more expressive. Richard Juhlin rates RD 2008 95(97). These bottles are from the 2nd disgorgement. As of yet there is not 3rd.

Richard Juhlin champagneclub.com 97(95) [after comparing 2008 to the similar 1979]This beautifully sparkling 2008 is surprisingly light in colour, but will surely deepen towards more golden tones in the near future a little further from its fresh disgorgement date. The colossal and wonderful scent is of such dignity that words can never do it full justice. If I do try to describe this unique perfume, it is dominated by hazelnut cream from Piedmont, Domori chocolate from Venezuela, madeleine cookies, almond paste, wood sauna, gunpowder, grilled beef, duck liver, honeysuckle, mushroom cream, honey and nougat. It takes a long time in the glass before the fruit appears and at the same time the nutty and grilled aromas tone down a bit. The taste is vibrantly fresh while being rich and grilled nutty. Here, minerality and sea aromas such as iodine and oyster shells show up together with an apricot-like sublime fruitiness. After a fresh attack, my senses are left supremely satisfied

William Kelley Rober Parker's Wine Advocate.com 98 When 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.with an exemplary long aftertaste of honey...