Bed Of Roses
It has been exactly 200 years since Madame Clicquot, the widowed (veuve in French) winemaker-innovator gave us the first known blended rose Champagne: Veuve Clicquot Rose.
The cellar master herself declared the ways of colouring rose Champagnes as one that wasn’t up to her standard (it was coloured with elderberries). Instead, she selected grape varieties from the Champagne region and blended it with her white wines. And that’s the story of how the Veuve Clicquot style was born.
Two centuries later, the brand not only still bears her name, but also continues to inherit the legacy of the Veuve Clicquot Rose in its vibrant collection of Roses.
Of the Champagnes available, the creme de la creme is no doubt La Grande Dame Rose. First created in 1988 and launched in 1995 it’s both a tribute to Madame Clicquot and the reflection of the Veuve Clicquot terroir. Highlighting the collection this celebratory occasion is La Grande Dame Rose 2006.
La Grande Dame Rose 2006 scores high amongst winemakers. With a crop of superb quality, tannins are well integrated with further blending expected. The blend comprises 53 percent Pinot Noir wines from the Grands Crus of Ay, Verzenay, and 47 percent Chardonnays from three Grand Crus: Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Finishing it off is red wine produced entirely from Pinot Noir from Bouzy.
