Founded in 1772, Veuve Clicquot is a House steeped in rich history that owes its success largely to one woman, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin. Madame Clicquot also invented the riddling rack on her kitchen table, an apparatus that removes the sediment from the bottle after second fermentation still used in the region today. Veuve Clicquot own a respectable 382 hectares of vineyards with an emphasis on Pinot Noir. The House maintains the largest collection of old reserve wines in Champagne, these help give Yellow Label its complexity while ensuring the high quality is maintained in the world’s second bestselling Champagne brand. In 2008 Dominique Demarville joined as Cellar Master, he “refreshed the brand” including increasing the proportion of Pinot Noir in La Grande Dame to 90%+ and with blending shifts he brought a new freshness in Yellow Label. In 2019 Didier Mariotti took over as Cellar Master.

Created in 1972 to celebrate the bicentenary of the House, La Grande Dame is a tribute to Madame Clicquot also known as ‘La Grande Dame de la Champagne’. Veuve Clicquot's prestige cuvée, it is an exclusive blend of eight of their historical Grand Crus and is a mineral and fresh expression of the Veuve Clicquot style. La Grande Dame Rosé 1995 was obtained with the addition of 15% red wine made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes from the village of Bouzy. The vast majority of grapes originate from Clos Colin, one of Veuve Clicquot's best lots situated in the heart of the Grand Cru village.

Weather: The 1995 harvest was a large crop and shared similar characteristics with the renowned 1998. Following four consecutive years of tough growing conditions, 1995 came as a huge relief to the region - the first universally declared vintage since 1990. The summer was mainly hot, with some showers a few weeks before the harvest. Now, over twenty years since bottling, champagne from 1995 are starting to show flavours of incredibly complex, rich and concentrated fruits.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Pinot Noir: Ambonnay, Aÿ, Bouzy, Verzenay, Verzy | Chardonnay: Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger | Red Wine: Bouzy
Grape Varieties: 53% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay, 15% Red Wine
Ageing: 8 years on the lees
Dosage: 9 g/l
Drink: Now to 2030

Tasting Note: On the nose subtle fragrances of strawberries and wild red fruits shine through. The palate is stunning: an abundance of fresh strawberries and raspberries combine with hints of toasted notes of ginger and honey. The finish is long and lingering with a divine combination of fruits and toasted qualities.. very smooth and full-bodied. A marvellous champagne from a truly unique vintage.