Veuve Clicquot Vintage 15

The house that invented vintage Champagne, doing what it does best. Veuve Clicquot declared the very first vintage Champagne in 1810, and today the house only puts a year on the label when the harvest deserves it — 2015, a warm, concentrated Champagne summer, made the cut. The blend is classic Clicquot power: half Pinot Noir anchored by Bouzy Grand Cru fruit, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Meunier, drawn from grand and premier cru villages, with about 10% of the wines vinified in large oak casks for extra breadth. After prolonged aging on the lees and a restrained 6 g/L dosage, the 2015 is elegant and energetic — orange peel, grapefruit, and lemon zest over brioche, roasted almond, honey, and a praline-coffee toastiness — with the structure to cellar 15 more years. The famous yellow label, grown up: pour it with roast chicken, lobster, aged comté, or the good night in.

Wine Details:

Grapes: 50% Pinot Noir (incl. Bouzy Grand Cru), 30% Chardonnay, 20% Meunier

ABV: Approx. 12.5% — confirm from label

Region: Champagne AOC, France — Reims; grand & premier cru sourcing

Farming / Practices: Vintage declared only in top years; ~10% vinified in large oak casks; prolonged lees aging; Brut, 6 g/L dosage

Producer: Veuve Clicquot — est. 1772, Reims; first vintage Champagne, 1810

Bottle Size: 750ml