Champagne Veuve Clicquot - La Grande Dame 2015 coffret Paola Paronetto

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

In his prestige collection, Didier Mariotti presents the 2015 vintage of La Grande Dame, available in both white and rosé: two absolute masterpieces, even if the rosé version will take a little longer to fully reveal itself. Rarely has the shift in this cuvée toward a style driven almost exclusively by Pinot Noir been expressed so brilliantly.

About the estate:

Veuve Clicquot has returned to its roots and proudly showcases its affinity for Pinot Noir and its preference for full-bodied champagnes. While we await the next evolution of La Grande Dame, the brand’s prestige cuvée, the non-vintage brut—the famous Carte Jaune—has regained its vitality. The skilled cellar master, Dominique Demarville, has significantly raised the bar in terms of selection and the precision of the blends, while simultaneously revolutionizing soil management in the vineyards, with grass cover on every other row and some experiments in organic farming.

Decanter

About the wine:

The 2015 vintage showcases the year’s sun-kissed fruit with more bite and intensity than the 2008 and 2012 vintages. Rich aromas of orange, red pear, dried pineapple, and soft grapefruit peel are supported by a solid structure, though a suppleness of nougat and acacia honey lies hidden in the mid-palate and promises to blossom with a little patience. The vintage’s boundless energy is proudly on display for now, with bitter almond and fruit peel intensifying for an energizing finish despite moderate acidity. A cuvée that will pair particularly well with food. 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay from 8 Grand Cru villages. Dosage 6 g/L.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

The white version of the vintage prestige cuvée features Pinot Noir (90% to 10% Chardonnay). After many years on the lees, this champagne—born of a hot, dry year—pleasantly surprises with its freshness and youthfulness: an elegant, briny nose, rich with citrus and yellow fruits; the palate is in perfect harmony, with a lively attack, taut and straightforward, and a long finish. One senses that this fine vintage will continue to gain depth.

About the estate:

The heir to a family of bankers, textile merchants, and vineyard owners, Philippe Clicquot founded his champagne house in 1772, adopting the anchor as his symbol and setting his sights on exporting. His son died prematurely in 1805, and it was his daughter-in-law, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, then twenty-seven years old, who took over the company and went down in history. An accomplished businesswoman, she led the house for much of the 19th century, propelling it to considerable growth. Today, the company owns nearly 400 hectares of vineyards, and its yellow label is known throughout the world. It has been part of the LVMH group since 1987.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

Here are fruits, flowers, leaves, and branches, and here is my heart, which beats only for you—or when Paul Verlaine inspires Veuve Clicquot. On the palate, refined bubbles accompany a delicate texture—fruity but not overly so, barely floral—with a texture as finely crafted as antique Calais lace. Not a note out of place, like soft music that lingers in the mind for a long time. The wine is pure elegance and aristocracy; the height of class.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The 2015 Brut La Grande Dame is in fine form today, offering aromas of spring flowers, lemon oil, spices, and freshly baked bread. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, elegant and well-balanced, it features a deep fruit core, lively acidity, and a salty, mineral finish.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Intense, fine bubbles. The nose is vinous, dominated by Pinot; the wine is authentic, with a lovely overall maturity. The mineral and chalky notes add depth. On the palate, it reveals good body and density.

About the estate:

The luxury group LVMH, which has owned the company since 1987, has made Veuve Clicquot the second-largest Champagne brand by volume with its famous Carte Jaune brut (the top-selling Champagne in the U.S.). The house owns vineyards in Premier Cru and Grand Cru appellations, which are primarily reserved for its vintage cuvées and Grande Dame. Dominated by Pinot Noir, Clicquot’s wines have historically been renowned for their full-bodied and structured palate. The team led by Dominique Demarville, cellar master, strives to strike the difficult balance between volume growth and maintaining quality. The rosés possess a fruity character thanks to the quality of the Pinot grapes from Veuve Clicquot’s historic vineyards in Bouzy.

Wine Spectator

About the wine:

Intense aromas of cherry and raspberry are enhanced by aromatic notes of rose tea, grated ginger, and blood orange zest in this elegant, wine-style rosé champagne. Lively on the palate, with bright acidity and a fine mousse, it also features mineral notes of smoke, oyster shell, and chalk that highlight its racy, well-spiced finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged in March 2023. Best enjoyed now through 2035.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This exceptional champagne is rich and beautifully structured. It is full of lovely ripeness and displays layers of fruitiness against a generous texture. This impressive wine is ready to drink now.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

Rich aroma. Large bubbles. Delicate caramel notes. Full-bodied and round, almost like a gentle giant, yet with plenty of power and structure in the acidity. Grapefruit and tart apples. Then sweet, ripe apples. Creamy caramel. A solid, block-like structure in the way it fills the mouth. Yet the finish is round and smooth, with hints of silver and gold.

Vinous

About the wine:

The 2015 La Grande Dame is brilliant and well-concentrated. A lovely energy animates the Pinot Noir’s fruity core. Pear, white flowers, mint, white pepper, and lime are clearly defined. The 2015 is not the most complex Grande Dame I have ever tasted, but it offers a great deal of immediacy, without the vegetal notes or harsh edges that have proven so difficult elsewhere. This is a champagne expertly crafted in every respect.

James Suckling

About the wine:

This wine is elegant and lively, with aromas of green apples, lemon zest, linden blossom, salted almonds, and pastries. Medium-bodied and refreshing, it features crisp acidity and fine bubbles. 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay. Ready to drink or worth cellaring.