Cover Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé 2015
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé 2015
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The La Grande Dame Rosé 2015 from the Maison’s La Grande Dame range is created according to the champagne-making technique that Madame Clicquot pioneered in 1818—blending red wine and white wine to give the bubbly that desired structure and finesse
The blended rosé champagne has become one of the most well-loved bubblies in the world, but its creation might not have been possible without the pioneering spirit of French champagne producer Madame Clicquot (affectionately known as La Grande Dame) from renowned champagne Maison Veuve Clicquot. In the 1800s, when all maisons were making rosé champagnes through the process of rosé de teinte, or infusing white wines with elderberries and black grapes to get that desired pink hue, she went against the grain and mixed still red wine from her prized Clos Colin parcel with white wine.
Through this groundbreaking rosé champagne-making technique, which enhanced the quality of the bubbly, she created the first known blended rosé champagne in 1818. While it was initially criticised, her method is now widely used by champagne producers today.
Madame Clicquot’s innovative personality lives on in every Veuve Clicquot expression, most notably the newly launched La Grande Dame Rosé 2015. It is the 10th release from the La Grande Dame range, which was first launched in 1972 with the 1960 vintage, to pay tribute to the matriarch of the House. Chef de caves Didier Mariotti expressed that the newest cuvée embodies the essence of Madame Clicquot, adding that it is the “perfect expression of her force of character, her energy, her creativity and above all, her love of pinot noir”. Her penchant for the red-wine grape variety is expressed in the blend, composed of 90 per cent pinot noir and 10 per cent chardonnay, then finished with 13 per cent red wine from Clos Colin.
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Above La Grande Dame Rosé 2015, ideally served at a temperature of 10°C to 12°C
La Grande Dame Rosé 2015, ideally served at a temperature of 10°C to 12°C
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The historical Clos Colin—a 1.3 hectare parcel of land in Bouzy, Champagne—is special for many reasons. Not only is it one of the Maison’s oldest vineyards (which it acquired in 1741), it also provides the ideal terroir for growing pinot noir grapes used in crafting blended rosé champagne. With its sun-drenched hillside location, sandy and flinty soil composition that offers excellent drainage, the vines were able to produce high-quality grapes with just the right tannins, giving the La Grande Dame Rosé 2015 that desired structure and finesse.
Matured for seven years, the blended rosé champagne is the epitome of freshness, depth and character where the sumptuous aromas of red fruits and floral hints of rose and violet are interspersed with spice notes such as pepper, nutmeg and clove. Each sip also reveals delicate floral notes that burst with bright citrus and luscious berry characters.
A special release like this deserves the right packaging, so the Maison collaborated with Italian artist and ceramist Paola Paronetto (who also designed the La Grande Dame 2015 case) to create the beautiful gift box. Relying on her intuition and expertise while taking inspiration from nature, she blended various colour pigments to land on the ‘Pesca Chiaro’. “I’ve chosen the ‘Pesca Chiaro’ (light peach) hue for its subtle yet vibrant character, a delicate pink that artfully captures the precise and structured essence of the cuvée,” explained Paronetto, who also added a hint of yellow to unify her creation with the La Grande Dame family.
This artful marriage of blended rosé champagne and beautiful packaging stays true to Madame Clicquot’s belief that “our wines should delight both the eye and the palate”.
Above Veuve Clicquot's La Grande Dame range, which comes in colourful packaging designed by Italian artist and ceramist Paola Paronetto
Veuve Clicquot's La Grande Dame range, which comes in colourful packaging designed by Italian artist and ceramist Paola Paronetto
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With Paronetto and the Maison’s dedication to sustainability and eco-friendly practices, the gift box is made in France using 60 per cent hemp, 20 per cent cotton, and 20 per cent FSC certified pulp.
The La Grande Dame Rosé 2015 is best enjoyed in the prestige Veuve Clicquot cuvée glass at an ideal temperature of 10°C to 12°C—on its own or paired with food, ideally with simple but delicious ingredients such as vegetables and fruits to let the champagne’s flavours shine.
With all these said, it is worth mentioning that the champagne industry has definitely come a long way, thanks to producers like Madame Clicquot who were never afraid to think out of the box. Apart from inventing the first known blended pink champagne, she was also credited for inventing the first riddling table, a rack where champagne bottles are placed and turned constantly to remove sediments in the wines, as well as the first vintage champagne.
With all her contributions, it is heartening to know that with every sip of the La Grande Dame Rosé 2015, champagne lovers are able to honour her pioneering spirit that is still very much alive until today.
The La Grande Dame Rosé 2015 is available at Shangri‑La Singapore, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and Le Rouge.
Credits
Images: Veuve Clicquot
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
