Perhaps General Koskov was not the most appropriate person to promote Bollinger RD in the James Bond film “Licensed To Kill”. But hey, there is nothing to say that baddies lack connoisseurship. Is there?

Early July and I am at the rejuvenated “Jules Verne” restaurant somewhere near the troposphere of the Eiffel Tower, which 007-fans will recall, formed the backdrop for the opening scene of “A View To A Kill”. Roger Moore, in his last outing as Bond, is dining at the restaurant and orders a bottle of Bollinger 1975 before his contact is inconveniently assassinated by a poisoned fishing rod. He pursues the ninja assassin up three million stairs, which is not easy when you are a pensioner, but Grace Jones (for it is she) escapes by leaping from the top of the tower. Cue opening of parachute and Duran Duran’s polyester theme tune.

http://www.007museum.com/Bollinger_RD.htm

R.D. (‘recently disgorged’) was proposed for the first time by Madame Bollinger in 1961 on the basis of the 1952 vintage. This concept is unique, absolutely without equivalent in Champagne.In terms of blending, R.D. is a Grand Annee, but a Grande Annee that has aged in the Bollinger cellars for a longer period: a minimum of eight years and up to 20-25 years.This slow maturation allows for reinforcing the aromatic subtlety and complexity of the wine, developing a highly original style recognised and appreciated by connoisseurs of great wines.R.D. is also a recent disgorging that guarantees unique freshness and vivacity as regards the wine’s venerable age and which allows the aromas to fully express themselves.In order to inform the consumer the disgorging date is printed on the label.By nature, the R.D. boasts a nearly-unlimited capacity for conservation, before of after disgorging.R.D. is an ‘extra-brut’, i.e. the dosage is very low (less than 5 grammes of sugar per litre).

The tasting of recently disgorged Bollinger’s was held to celebrate fifty years since the release of the debut 1952. It was tutored by chef de cave Mathieu Kauffmann and he began with an overview of Bollinger RD…

“There have been 27 vintages of RD starting with the 1952 released in 1961. It starts in the vineyard with the selection of the grapes. We press the grapes, make the vinification and do the malolactic vinification in barrels. We do the first tasting after racking and a second tasting in December as we prepare the assemblage. Each vintage there are about 2,000 barrels and choose the best ones.”
(Just in case readers were wondering, the RD vintages are: 1952, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999.)

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