We all know the name, the look, the bubbly bliss of Veuve Clicquot Champagne. It’s the kind of luxury that’s hard to miss: a deep green bottle belted in solaire yellow, regal and poised and full of effervescent joy — and once you pop it, a glass full of sparkle.
But we all know Veuve Clicquot for another reason (and not just because life’s precious moments often demand an exquisite glass of bubbly). The reason we know that unmistakable dandelions-at-sunset yellow label — or the taste of tingling bubbles that can feel like the manifestation of joy physically floating on your tongue — is almost entirely because of one woman: Madame Clicquot.
Who is Madame Clicquot?
The “Veuve Clicquot,” aka the “widow Clicquot,” was the unexpected life force behind a drink artfully crafted, painstakingly adored, and meant to be poured into all of life’s sparkling (or potentially sparkling) moments.
Her name is Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, born in Reims, France, in 1777. She was married into the Champagne world at just 21, widowed at 27. After her husband’s death, she became an unlikely entrepreneur, though one who was ultimately a trailblazer and innovator.
Her innovative spirit deemed her “La Grande Dame” of Champagne as she defied conventional industry practices and became one of the first women business entrepreneurs of the time. Madame Clicquot, a visionary woman, driven by unfailing optimism, selected and acquired exceptional vineyards, which are today classed as Grand and Premier Crus.
The ultimate expression of her legacy is Veuve Clicquot’s latest vintage: La Grande Dame 2018. If you know and love Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, you will be sure to savor every sip of this deep and harmonious Champagne, a luminous expression of “L’Art du Pinot Noir”.
Madame Clicquot’s Legacy
Madame Clicquot wasn’t born into the industry, but she married into Champagne. Not only did Madame Clicquot take the reins of her late husband’s business, but she revolutionized the production of Champagne itself.
First of many “firsts,” Madame Clicquot invented the “riddling table,” one of the most essential elements in the production of Champagne. Now a foundational practice in the Champagne industry, the act of riddling (gently rotating the bottles to dislodge the dead yeast cells), helps to clarify the Champagne and prepare it for disgorgement (removing the dead yeast cells from the bottle after secondary fermentation). What was once an industry-disrupting innovation has become a standard practice letting the true flavors of Champagne shine through in every sip.
Her trailblazing innovations didn’t stop there. Today, people worldwide experience Madame Clicquot’s legacy in every sip, whether that’s from a bottle of blended rosé or exquisite vintage.
Madame Clicquot developed the first vintage Champagne in 1810, making every La Grande Dame vintage a shining tribute to Madame Clicquot. Eight years later in 1818, another risk by Madame Clicquot would change the Champagne world forever: she blended some of her Bouzy red wines with her Champagne, creating the first “rosé d’assemblage.”
The 2018 Vintage
In 2018, a rainy winter faded into a spring and summer of hot and sunny days, giving way to impeccably ripened Pinot Noir grapes, which make up 90% of Veuve Clicquot’s newest vintage, La Grande Dame 2018. The 25th vintage of the House bottles up those sunny days, pouring joie de vivre in every glass.
Craftsmanship was the helm with La Grande Dame 2018, utilizing those same techniques Mame Clicquot pioneered centuries ago. The magic in the bottle is largely thanks to the purest expression of “L’Art du Pinot Noir.” This Champagne is bottled at an elegant 12.5% ABV and blends 90% Pinot Noir with 10% Chardonnay.
In the glass, there’s a bright, almost-glowing, dusty rose color. Each bubble invokes a gorgeous complexity of flavor, dynamic citrus (lemon, lime, yuzu) softened with fleshy white peach and Asian pear. These bright flavors are laced with subtle floral notes and topped off with a refined salinity making each sip all the more refreshing.
Occasions Big and Small with La Grande Dame 2018
Any table adorned with bottles of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Vintage 2018 will invite, entice, and inspire celebration. Whether it’s a picnic for two or a table for twenty, La Grande Dame welcomes gastronomic delight, great conversations, and unfailing optimism with whoever you’re sipping with.
Pairing possibilities, and reasons to celebrate are endless and enlivened by Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Vintage 2018. You’ll find it to be exquisite company at any refined dining experience. Emboldened by anything from fine fresh cheeses or rich red lobster with butter, La Grande Dame’s glints of citrus, tender almond, and subtle buttery notes are like silk against a delicate richness.
La Grande Dame 2018 is delightfully tingling, delicately supple and full of life. It’s not just Champagne – it’s the legacy of a woman who changed Champagne for all of us.
Each sip of La Grande Dame 2018 is a legacy of a story steeped in heritage, innovation, and excellence.
This article is sponsored by Veuve Clicquot.
