2002 in champagne was a phenomenal year – almost perfect growing and harvesting conditions, resulting in wines of great depth and finesse with ripe fruit balanced by pronounced acidity.

Most of the vintage has long since been bottled and sold but we have managed to secure a small parcel of the stunning Bollinger RD 2002 – one of the very last of the vintage champagnes of this great year commercially available and undoubtedly one of the finest.

Bollinger started making RD in the 1960s with 1952 as the first vintage, so this is also their 50th anniversary bottling of this legendary champagne. A small amount (in the case of 2002 only a few thousand bottles) of the best vintages of Bollinger La Grande Année are held back by the head winemaker of Bollinger in their cellars in Aÿ and matured for another 6-8 years and then disgorged (hence RD – récemment dégorgé / recently disgorged).

So how does it taste? Huge flavours of opulent fruit, orange blossom, honey, cinnamon spice, rich brioche and toast, with a long and complex finish and a wonderfully soft texture – an absolutely monumental champagne which has won universal praise from every wine critic.

Only a few thousand bottles of this rare treat were produced so let us know if you would like a bottle (or two!) as soon as possible.  Bollinger RD 2002 is available at both our stores while stocks last for £175.