Veuve Clicquot Rich
The only bottle from the house intended to be poured over ice cubes, with one ingredient added. More sweetly and fully dosed than the regular brut, precisely because the ice and garnish would otherwise make it taste flat.
Champagne that calls for ice cubes
Champagne over ice sounds like something you should not do, and with most bottles that is true: meltwater dilutes the wine and the cold suppresses the aroma. The Rich is designed for it. The dosage is higher than in the regular brut, giving it a sweet, full and round style, and that extra body is exactly what remains when three ice cubes are added. The grapes are the house's same three: pinot noir, meunier and chardonnay.
The second part of the idea is the garnish. Add one ingredient, not four: grapefruit, pineapple, bell pepper or cucumber. Grapefruit and pineapple pull the bottle toward the fruity side, while bell pepper and cucumber take it toward the spicy, green side, and in both cases you still taste champagne. That makes the Rich more of a ready-to-serve drink than a cocktail base. One bottle yields about six glasses, including the ice.
In short
Citrus and floral notes over ice
Floral with citrus
Naturally rich citrus notes with a floral layer behind them. Over a glass full of ice, that floral character comes through surprisingly well.
Full and round
The higher dosage makes it full-bodied and soft. Where a brut becomes watery over ice, this one holds its shape as long as you do not leave it standing.
Fresh from the garnish
The finish follows what you add: grapefruit makes it bitter-fresh, cucumber cool and green, pineapple fuller and sweeter.
The Rich's flavor profile as intended, with ice and one garnish. Neat and without ice, you mainly taste the higher dosage.
Build the glass in this order
First the ice, then the garnish, and only then the champagne. Pour along the ice cubes so the foam does not spill over the rim, and use large cubes that melt slowly.
The basic glass
Fill a large wine glass with three or four ice cubes, add the garnish, and pour 12 cl of chilled Rich down the side. Do not stir; let the bubbles do the work.
Glass: large wine glass →With grapefruit or pineapple
Two wedges of pink grapefruit or two cubes of fresh pineapple over the ice, followed by 12 cl of champagne. These two take the bottle in a fruity direction and are the easiest place to start.
Wine glasses →With cucumber or bell pepper
Three thin ribbons of cucumber or two strips of red bell pepper over the ice, followed by 12 cl of champagne. Greener, drier in character, and surprisingly good with savory snacks.
Bar tools →Serves in the same spirit
The Rich is already practically a cocktail itself, so rather than mixing it away, you can serve it alongside these four: all drinks that come from a large glass full of ice.
Hugo Spritz
Elderflower, mint, and cucumber over ice. The same combination as the Rich with cucumber.
Negroni Sbagliato
Campari and sweet vermouth with bubbles instead of gin. Bitter against the Rich's rounded style.
Aperol Spritz
The best-known glass full of ice and bubbles. With orange instead of grapefruit.
Limoncello Spritz
Lemon liqueur, bubbles, and ice. It closely matches the citrus notes already found in the Rich itself.Why there is no flute on the table here
Barely any ice cubes fit in a flute, let alone a grapefruit wedge. This bottle calls for a spacious bowl where ice, garnish, and champagne can fit side by side.
More Veuve Clicquot flavors
Veuve Clicquot
Where it all began. On the brand page, you can read everything about Veuve Clicquot: its origins, varieties, and classic cocktails.
To Veuve Clicquot →
Veuve Clicquot Rosé
Copper-colored, full-bodied and juicy. Raspberry, wild strawberry and cherry, with pastry 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.
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Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame
Made exclusively from Grand Cru grapes, floral and silky smooth. The bottle for oysters and caviar.
View Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame →
Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old
Made entirely from reserve wines, the oldest 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 Rich
Can't find your question? Read more on the Veuve Clicquot page or explore our cocktail recipes.
Everything about Veuve Clicquot →