Bollinger R.D. Prestige

R.D. stands for "récemment dégorgé" — recently disgorged. The cuvée is the same base wine as La Grande Année of the corresponding vintage, but held on the lees in bottle, under cork, for far longer (typically a decade or more) before disgorgement.

The extended sur-pointe ageing transforms the wine: oxidative complexity, toasted notes and a tighter, drier bead arrive without losing the underlying vintage fruit. R.D. was created by Madame Lily Bollinger and first released as a 1952 in 1967, popularising late-disgorgement as a category in Champagne. Each release carries its disgorgement date on the back label.