La Grande Dame 2008 vintage is depth and silkiness combined with lightness and elegance

 

 

 Veuve Clicquot unveils La Grande Dame 2008, a new vintage in the cuvée created in homage to Madame Clicquot.

In 2008 the grapes ripened in exceptional conditions across the Veuve Clicquot vineyards, resulting in rare quality and remarkable acidity. A few months after the harvest during tastings of the still wines, Master Cellar Dominique Demarville decided to declare the year worthy of a Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame vintage, a rare champagne style created in 1972 to mark the bicentennial of the Veuve Clicquot Maison.

Like all the creations of the luxury maison, Grande Dame vintage is an homage to Madame Clicquot, known in her time as “la Grande Dame de la Champagne”.

With La Grande Dame 2008, Cellar Master Demarville demonstrates his winemaking prowess in his first vintage for this special cuvée, balancing the power of Pinot Noir and the elegance of Chardonnay.

The blend chosen by Dominique Demarville for La Grande Dame 2008 is 92% Pinot Noir – the highest percentage of the grape ever used since the founding of the Maison – and 8% Chardonnay. The Pinot Noir grapes are from Veuve Clicquot’s historic Grands Crus terroirs of Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzy and Verzenay, while the Chardonnay is from the Maison’s Mesnil-sur-Oger Grand Cru vineyard.

The blend of La Grande Dame 2008 Rosé is identical to that of La Grande Dame, complete with the addition of 14% Pinot Noir red wines from Clos Colin in Bouzy, one of the oldest parcels among the Veuve Clicquot vineyards.

In the glass, La Grande Dame 2008 has a light golden hue, says Veuve Clicquot.

“After opening up, the nose reveals notes of dried fruit – almonds, figs, apricot – ripe white fruit (pear) and subtle toasted notes of hazelnut and praline. In the mouth the attack is powerful and sharp. The Pinot Noir stands out with its freshness, mineral notes, and power, revealing the perfect balance of complexity, structure and audacity of La Grande Dame 2008,” explained the celebrated champagne house.