Veuve Clicquot : Vintage Rosé 2008

A flavoursome and structure vintage rosé champagne

The estate

Today, Veuve Clicquot has become a brand with a worldwide success. It is the story of a Champagne house whose myth was created by one woman: Madame Clicquot. A brilliant and bold woman, she successfully imposed herself in the business world and became known as "La Grande Dame de la Champagne’’, ‘’the Great Lady of Champagne". Guided by an innate sense of innovation and a perpetual quest for perfection, she invented the riddling table and marketed the first blended rosé champagne. Veuve Clicquot has turned this uncompromising requirement into her motto: "Only one quality, the finest". The Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne house was a pioneer in deciding to adorn its bottles with a yellow-orange label, the design was registered in 1877.

The vineyard

Comprising 390 hectares of land, Veuve Clicquot has one of the largest vineyards in Champagne. This vineyard boasts an exceptional quality, as it is spread over 12 out of the 17 Grands Crus and 20 out of the 44 Premiers Crus of the Champagne region.

The wine

2008 is the 65th vintage to be bottled since the creation of the House’s first vintage champagne in 1810. Veuve Clicquot's Vintage Rosé 2008 is the true reflection of this very fine year 2008, oft described as a "Champagne miracle".

The blend

Veuve Clicquot's Vintage Rosé 2008 comprises a blend of Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. The Chardonnay grapes (34%) provide an elegant and fine expression, Pinot Meunier (5%) gives a round and fruity feel and Pinot Noir (61%) offers a pleasant structure, 14% of which, stemming from the finest terroirs in Bouzy, have been vinified as red wine. 5% of the wines in the blend have been matured in oak casks.

Veuve Clicquot’s Vintage Rosé 2008: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Colour

Bright, this champagne showcases a beautiful pink colour with copper highlights, all of which enhance the finesse of the effervescence.

Nose

Expressive, the aromatic bouquet offers a delicious expression with notes of small red fruits that give way to notes of candied citrus fruits, expressed by the presence of the Chardonnay grapes. Notes of dried fruit and pastries with hints of brioche testify to the lengthy time spent on lees.

Palate

The bold attack highlights an ample and textured feel, creating a very lively expression on the palate. Structured due to the beautiful Pinot Noir grapes, the mouthfeel highlights a lively minerality.

Service

This Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rosé 2008 is best served at a temperature of 10-12°C.

Food and wine pairing

This exceptional champagne will complement duck dishes, beef carpaccio, tuna, hard cheeses such as mimolette or ripe fruit desserts.

Cellaring

This fine vintage champagne can be enjoyed now and can age until approximatively 2030.