Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 1998 is a prestige-cuvée vintage Champagne produced by Maison Veuve Clicquot in Reims, France. La Grande Dame is produced as a tribute to the remarkable Madame Clicquot, also known as the ‘Grande Dame of Champagne’, who played a pivotal role in shaping the success and legacy of the House. Aged for a minimum of 7 years before being released, La Grande Dame is known for its elegant and complex flavour profile, featuring notes of citrus, white flowers, and brioche. The 1998 La Grande Dame is an assemblage of 64% Pinot Noir (Aÿ, Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay and Bouzy) and 36% Chardonnay (Avize, Oger, Mesnil-sur-Oger). "A superbly ripe Champagne that has all the open generosity of the 1998 vintage. Peach and apricot aromas are followed by flavours of hazelnuts, honey and spices. Of course, it is still very young, and, like all vintages of La Grande Dame, it will age for many years." Wine Enthusiast, 2006
- The house's 1998 La Grande Dame reveals notable clarity and precision. This focused, poised wine emerges from the glass with well-articulated flowers, pears, smoke, crisp apples and minerals in a medium-bodied style. The wine appears to have enough freshness and sheer depth to support another decade or so of aging. La Grand Dame represents a significant step up from the estate's other wines. In 1998 La Grande Dame is 64% Pinot Noir (Aÿ, Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay and Bouzy) and 36% Chardonnay (Avize, Oger, Mesnil-sur-Oger). This is Lot 510 2572, disgorged between December 2006 and January 2007.
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Veuve Clicquot
The 'Grande Dame' of Champagne
Founded in Reims in 1772, Veuve Clicquot is one of the largest Champagne houses. The famous Madame Clicquot is credited with many innovations during her tenure as head of the house in the early 1800s - introducing vintage-dated Champagne, inventing the process of riddling to ensure a clearer wine and developing the rosé Champagne produced through blending. Madame Clicquot is also credited with helping to popularise Champagne with high society in Europe during the Napoleonic wars.
The non-vintage is fresh and crisp with ripe fruit balancing citrussy zing while the vintage offerings are richer, fuller and more complex with notes of toasted brioche, almond and crushed green apple. La Grande Dame is the house's prestige cuvée - made only in exceptional years, the Champagne is produced using wines selected from Veuve Clicquot's Grand Cru vineyard holdings.