Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame
The house's prestige bottle, named after the widow who made it great. The grapes come exclusively from eight Grand Cru parcels, and the champagne is exceptionally fresh and silky smooth at the same time.
Eight parcels and nothing else
While Yellow Label owes its consistent taste to reserve wines from many years and many villages, La Grande Dame goes in precisely the opposite direction. The grapes come exclusively from eight Grand Cru parcels, the highest classification a Champagne village can have. That is a narrow base to work with, and that is the point: there is no broad blend to compensate for a weak spot. The bottle being poured now is the 2018 vintage, made from pinot noir and chardonnay, without meunier.
The champagne ages on the lees according to the traditional method, with remuage on pupitres: the bottles lie at an angle in wooden racks and are turned by hand until the lees settle in the neck. These processes take time, and that time is in the bottle. The name refers to Barbe Clicquot Ponsardin herself, the widow who led the house from 1805 onward. At 12.5%, like the Rosé, it is half a percent higher than the rest of the range.
In brief
Fresh and silky smooth at the same time
Floral and lightly spicy
A floral, lightly spicy elegance that is refined rather than loud. You need to stay with it for a moment; this champagne does not impose itself.
Silky smooth
The texture is most striking: silky smooth across the tongue, without the freshness underneath fading away. Holding on to both at once is exactly what a prestige bottle should do.
Long and taut
The finish lingers, but without heaviness. There is no sweet layer to soften it, so what you taste at the end is the wine itself.
Tasting profile of La Grande Dame. Floral elegance is fragile: serving it too cold or using a glass that is too narrow costs more here than with an ordinary brut.
With oysters and caviar
Pour at 8 to 10 degrees and keep an eye on the top. The floral side is the first thing to disappear if the bottle has been left in the ice bucket too long.
With a platter of oysters
Allow 10 cl per glass and place the bottle next to a platter of oysters or a spoonful of caviar. The brininess of the shellfish and the champagne's crisp finish merge perfectly.
Glass: tulip or wine glass →Let it warm up in the glass
Pour 10 cl and wait three to five minutes. Straight from the fridge, the floral nose is still closed; a few degrees warmer and it opens up on its own. Hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl.
Champagne glasses →Open it without a pop
Twist the bottle, not the cork, keeping your thumb on it until it gives way. A pop costs carbonation, and the mousse carries the entire texture of this bottle. Pour in two stages, so the foam can settle.
Bar tools →Serving it neat, and why
Be honest with yourself here: serve La Grande Dame neat. Grapes from eight Grand Cru plots and a floral, silky texture are lost in a cocktail. For the classics below, Yellow Label Brut is the right bottle.
Kir Royal
Crème de cassis topped up with bubbles. The cassis determines the flavour, so choose a simple brut.
Champagne Cocktail
Sugar cube with Angostura and champagne. Bitters overpower any delicate nose.
Negroni Sbagliato
Campari and sweet vermouth with bubbles. Bittersweet and low in alcohol, and not fussy about the bottle.
Christmas cocktails
Bubbles with herbs and fruit for the table. Serve the prestige bottle neat alongside.A glass that brings out the floral side
Here, aroma matters more than speed. A tulip-shaped glass or white wine glass gives the floral and slightly spicy nose room to unfold, while a slender flute mainly preserves the mousse.
More Veuve Clicquot flavours
Veuve Clicquot
Where it began. On the brand page, you can read all about Veuve Clicquot: its origins, varieties, and classic cocktails.
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Veuve Clicquot Rosé
Copper-colored, full and juicy. Raspberry, wild strawberry and cherry, with pastry notes underneath.
View Veuve Clicquot Rosé →
Veuve Clicquot Brut Vintage
A single vintage, partly aged in wooden foudres. Apricot, fig, honey and mocha.
View Veuve Clicquot Brut Vintage →
Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec
Ripe, candy-like fruit and wine gums over freshly toasted bread. The house's dessert bottle.
View Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec →
Veuve Clicquot Rich
Citrus and floral notes, full and round. Intended for ice cubes and one garnish.
View Veuve Clicquot Rich →
Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old
Made entirely from reserve wines, the oldest dating from 1988. Silky, complex and elegant.
View Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old →Everything about champagne: the types, the best-known brands and the cocktails.
Questions about Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame
Can't find your question here? Read more on the Veuve Clicquot page or explore our cocktail recipes.
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