Why Champagne Lovers Should Be Thankful For Veuve Clicquot

Forbes

02-05-2025

La Grande Dame 2018, a bottling that honors the legacy of Widow Clicquot
This spring, Veuve Clicquot unveiled the 2018 vintage of La Grande Dame, their stunning flagship cuvée created in honor of Madame Clicquot—who was aptly referred to as La Grande Dame de la Champagne. Widowed at just 27, Madame Clicquot inherited her husband's passion for crafting Champagne but at a time when the business was failing. She risked her inheritance to revive the winemaking—doing whatever she could to survive, even smuggling bottles to the Tsar and his thirsty court in Russia. Her boldness and savvy paid off in myriad ways, most especially in the way we enjoy Champagne today. (And, for the wordsmiths out there—the word veuve means Widow in French.) Though she stood a mere 4'10", her petite stature belied the towering impact she had on Champagne's production and quality. Consider the state of sparkling wine before her innovations: it was often cloudy and riddled with sediment. Rosé Champagne got it's pink hues from the addition of elderberry juice, and Pinot Noir—now a cornerstone grape—was largely avoided, deemed too delicate and difficult to handle. Madame Clicquot changed all of that. Indeed, she transformed the style and when she passed in 1866, she was exporting Veuve Cliquot across the globe.
For the full story, I quizzed Head of Veuve Clicquot, Adriana Angulo who shed more light on the Widow Clicquot's impressive contributions:
Angulo: She was! Madame Clicquot was a true pioneer, and the very first champagne producer to create rosé champagne in 1818 by using the assemblage method of blending still red wine made from Pinot Noir with her white champagne – a bold and innovative move at the time that had never been done before. Prior to her innovation, winemakers would often rely on natural colorants, such as elderberry juice, to tint their wines pink. Her method not only elevated the quality and consistency of rosé champagne, but it also set the standard still used by many champagne houses today.
Yes, Madame Clicquot is credited with inventing the riddling rack – it is a groundbreaking innovation in champagne production which is still used today. She developed this method to clarify the wine by systematically rotating the bottles and gradually tilting them downward, allowing the yeast sediment to collect in the neck of the bottle for easy removal. This was another one of her many innovations that revolutionized the champagne industry!
While Pinot Noir was not seen as lesser in nobility, it was often considered more difficult to work with due to its delicate nature. But, Madame Clicquot saw what others didn't – it's remarkable strength, structure, and capacity to age so beautifully. Confident in the grape's potential, she boldly embraced Pinot Noir as the foundation of her wines, and that visionary choice became a defining element of the Veuve Clicquot style today: powerful, elegant, and precise.
While Madame Clicquot did not invent a new bottle shape directly, she was deeply focused on quality and innovation in every aspect of winemaking. The traditional champagne bottle was essential to withstanding the pressure of secondary fermentation. One thing she truly revolutionized was the invention of riddling, to dramatically improve the clarity, stability, and refinement of champagne. Before the riddling table, champagne was clouded with sediment – something that champagne drinkers today may find hard to imagine.
Madame Clicquot certainly advanced the art of blending. While blending wines from different vintages and vineyard parcels was already practiced, she refined the process and elevated it into an art form, ensuring consistency, balance, and complexity in her champagnes. Her discerning palate and rigorous standards set a new benchmark in the production of cuvées, and that legacy continues in every bottle bearing the Veuve Clicquot label.
The remaining 10% of La Grande Dame 2018 is Chardonnay, which adds finesse, vibrancy, and a touch of brightness to the bold structure of the Pinot Noir, all historical Grande Crus. This vintage – 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay – is a powerful expression of Madame Clicquot's enduring vision and deep love for Pinot Noir, her favorite varietal. La Grande Dame 2018 marks the 25th vintage since the inaugural 1962 blend and was introduced in 1972 to celebrate the House's bicentenary. It will also be unveiled in a striking new look and feel celebrating our iconic yellow box. This new pack can be customized, making it an ideal gift for sharing and celebration.
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2018 –Tasting Note: Bright and luminous hues in the glass give way to a palate of finesse and freshness. Intense aromas emerge through a delicate scent of citrus - lemon, lime, yuzu - blended with white fruit, enhanced by spring and floral notes. La Grande Dame 2018 offers the sensation of an ideal balance, with perfect harmony and intensity for this vintage.