Veuve Clicquot Vintage Brut 2012 (Champagne, France)

In 1810, Madame Clicquot invented the first Vintage Champagne, in 2012 Veuve Clicquot declared the 66th vintage of the Maison. With grapes exclusively from Grands and Premiers Crus, Pinot Noir dominates the blend (51%) and provides the structure that is so typically Clicquot, followed by Chardonnay (34%) that adds finesse and elegance essential in a perfectly balanced wine, and then Meunier (15%) that rounds out the blend. The uniqueness of the Vintage 2012 lies in the addition of 11% of wines aged in large wooden casks (foudres), bringing strength and aromatic intensity. The cask-aged wines act as spices to the blend, bringing very lightly woody, vanilla and toasted aromas.

Veuve Clicquot 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.