Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut 1976 (RP98)

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 98

As I wrote last year, Bollinger’s 1976 Extra-Brut R. D. is simply extraordinary, wafting from the glass with scents of dried orange rind, mocha, fresh pastry, honeycomb, yellow apple, peach and smoke, complemented by subtle hints of iodine, fresh girolle mushrooms and aromatic bitters. Full-bodied, deep and complete, it’s vinous and muscular, with huge concentration, racy acids and a long, pungently saline and invigoratingly bone-dry finish, enlivened by a pearly mousse. This magical Champagne represents the distilled essence of the Bollinger style.