x
  • Country ranking ?

    1 382
  • Producer ranking ?

    51
  • Decanting time

    10min
  • When to drink

    now to 2035
  • Food Pairing

    scallop carpaccio

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The Story

“Veuve Clicquot is a wine that is always dominated by the structure, aromas and body of Pinot Noir.”

For this it is necessary to thank the energetic Nicole-Barbe Clicquot (1777–1866), née Ponsardin, better known as Veuve Clicquot. Demarville speaks of this Grande Dame of Champagne with reverence. “In the 19th century success came to those champagne houses that had excellent vineyards and a worldwide distribution,” explains Demarville. In that respect, nothing has changed to this day.
Above all else, Madame Clicquot was an innovator: she not only brought the first Rosé Champagne to the market, but also had the idea of designing a very special device.

Around 1800, the purification of the wines posed a serious problem after the second fermentation; the champagne had to be transferred repeatedly from one bottle to the next. “In the wine there is a kind of distinct, fine sediment. In spite of every precautionary measure I fear that it is impossible for me to send anything other than this wine with the aforementioned fine sediment,” wrote Madame Clicquot to a customer.


The problem caused much racking of brains. The story goes that the widow would clamber down to the cellar, at night and in secret, to work on a solution with her cellar master Antoine Müller. By 1816, after a great deal of experimentation, they had constructed the first riddling table, designed to dislodge the sediment from the bottles. In1818 this method was refined: inclined holes were drilled into the table so that for the first time the bottles could be placed, neck-down, at different angles. This technical breakthrough boosted sales: Moscow, Venice, Buenos Aires... the triumphal march of the champagne around the world soon followed.


In the 19th century in Berlin, for example, champagne of this kind was so popular, “that one hardly dared to cough in the street for fear of spitting in the face of a champagne salesman.” Such was the colourful description of this period by Ludwig Bohne, representative of Veuve Clicquot. Bohne was esteemed a most successful salesman and likewise - with good reason - was Friedrich Wilhelm IV (1795–1861), the stubborn Prussian, named König Clicquot (King Clicquot) by his entourage. The Widow, in fact, was to outlive King Clicquot by four years. In the meantime, Champagne Veuve Clicquot itself is two-hundred and thirty-eight years old. How many cellar masters have there been in this period? Dominique Demarville is only the tenth. This figure alone testifies to the art and integrity of champagne in general and the Yellow Label in particular. 

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Wine Information

Vintage 2012 is the expression of a prodigious harvest, despite an extremely challenging climate. In spring, the region faces a heavy rainfall of 60% above the average of the season, followed by late frost, finally, a series of severe hailstorms ruined more than 1,000 hectares of the overall Champagne vineyard. Then, summer comes around mid-August and brings ideal sunny conditions, very dry weather and high temperature until the end of the harvest. Despite those damages which leads to a pretty modest harvest, quality is optimum revealing a great aging potential for the wines. Naturally, 2012 is declared a Veuve Clicquot Vintage and became the House’s 66th since its first vintage of 1810. As with every Veuve Clicquot champagne, Pinot Noir dominates the blend (51%) exclusively from Grands and Premier Crus from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne (Verzy, Verzenay, Ludes, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Tauxières, Avenay and Aÿ).

The Chardonnay comes entirely from the Côte des Blancs (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Vertus) and makes up 34%. Then 15% of Meunier from the Montagne de Reims (Ludes) and the Vallée de la Marne (Dizy) brings roundness to this cuvée. The uniqueness of the Veuve Clicquot Vintage collection remains in the addition of wines aged in large oak casks, bringing strength and aromatic intensity. The dominance of Pinot Noir and the wooden touch deliver structure and character, trademark of the Veuve Clicquot’s style. 

 

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Vintage 2012

The next most exceptional vintage since 2008. A truly difficult growing season saw severe frosts in the winter. March brought warmth but early budbreak made the vines vulnerable to spring frosts. Overall, the early growing season was wet, and mildew became a serious issue. However, conditions improved dramatically in the later summer months. An August heatwave resulted in a rapid accumulation of sugar, but fortunately the nights remained cool, which helped to preserve acidity. Although yields were low (averaging at 9,210 kg/ha) due to frost, hail and disease early in the season, the 2012 harvest was exemplary in its maturity, acidity and grape health. A rare high acid, high sugar September harvest with impeccable concentration of flavour and refreshing vibrancy. Pinot Noir is the superstar of the vintage, though Pinot Meunier excelled too. A vintage that promises great longevity for the finest cuvées, it was widely declared by producers. However, Krug decided to invest in its reserve wines on this great year, and no Vintage was produced. The quality of 2012 is universally high, with the greatest releases so far including Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Bollinger La Grande Année and La Grande Année Rosé, as well as Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé.

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Information

Origin

Reims, Champagne

Other wines from this producer

Brut Rosé

Carte Jaune Brut

Cave Privée

Cave Privée Rosé

Cuvée 1772-1972’

Demi-Sec

Extra Brut, Extra Old

La Grande Dame

La Grande Dame Rose

Rare

Rare Vintage Rosé

Rich

Rich Doux

Rich Rosé

Rich Vintage

Rosé

Sec

Veuve Clicquot Brut

Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec

Vintage Rosé

Yellow Label

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