Bollinger RD - what is it?

I had a ‘phone call a couple of days ago from someone asking if I wanted to buy a bottle of 1966 Bollinger.

I imagine that the chap on the other end of the line was a little taken aback when I told him that I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole. Actually I didn’t say that, I was much more polite, but I that doesn’t alter the fact that I wasn’t prepared to pay a penny for the champagne.

“But it’s good stuff” the man replied “ It’s RD”.

“Aah” I thought “ In that case I might change my mind. “

I asked how long the gentleman had had the bottle.

“Well I’m 44 now and I was given the bottle for my 21st birthday”

Oops ! – I reached for my barge pole again.

So why didn’t I want this bottle of rare old vintage champagne at any price and why wouldn’t I recommend that anyone else touch it either? If the man had been given the bottle two or three years ago it may have been great, but 23 years – far too long.

To explain this I’ll have to take you back a little and re-cap briefly on how champagne is made and what RD actually means.