PLEASE NOTE: The 2015 Vintage comes in a blue, pink, or green gift box. Every Champagne house has one, a gem from their cellars. For Veuve Clicquot, it's La Grande Dame. This delicious Champagne owes its name to the great lady who made Veuve Clicquot great. Because she was one of the first female businesswomen in Europe, she was called La Grande Dame. The first Vintage of La Grande Dame was released in 1972 for Veuve Clicquot's bicentennial. After that, a new La Grande Dame was released for every exceptionally good Vintage year. Because it's not possible to produce this gem every year, this exclusive Champagne may sometimes sell out. It's not surprising that the current vintage will sell out quickly. The 2015 La Grande Dame is one of the best vintages ever!
The old vineyard of La Grande Dame
This magnificent Champagne is a blend of six different Grand Crus from Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzy, and Verzenay for the Pinot Noir grapes and from Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger for the Chardonnay. Remarkably, this La Grande Dame is made up of 92% Pinot Noir and only 8% Chardonnay. Never before has a vintage been made with so much Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are all grown in the finest regions of Champagne. Only the very best is good enough for La Grande Dame! As you can see, this lady is still highly regarded. The harvest is also done entirely by hand to ensure a strict selection of the fruit to be pressed. Once at the press, the grapes are gently crushed, releasing only the purest and finest juice. After the separate pressing of the different regions, the final blend is created, creating this phenomenal Champagne. This is followed by a 10-year maturation period in the Veuve Clicquot cellars, during which the Champagne develops its mousse and soft character.
What does the Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame taste like?
We were fortunate enough to taste this La Grande Dame 2015! This Champagne even won some great awards, including 95 WineSpectator points! Upon pouring, we were immediately struck by the color. Contrary to what we expected, the color is pale gold, but with a beautiful mousse dancing through the glass. This pale gold color is due to the amount of Pinot Noir in the Champagne. The Chardonnay grape naturally produces more golden juice. On the nose, we detect a broad bouquet of ripe yellow fruit, almond, vanilla, toast, and a slight hint of spice. The taste is truly fantastic! For those who appreciate a beautifully mature Champagne, this is a true treat. Delicious flavor nuances of brioche, nougat, candied lemon, and ripe yellow fruit. A slight spicy hint remains on the back of the tongue. All in all, the flavor is very complex and refined, with a beautiful mousse and a wonderfully long finish. Would you like to serve a delicious dish with this La Grande Dame 2015? Think dishes with lobster and oysters!
2015
