Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut 2015

Cellar for up to 25 years. No need to decant before serving. Centuries later, Veuve Clicquot carry on the legacy of the “Grande Dame of Champagne”, Madame Clicquot, through their unmistakable sparkling wines. The Clicquot name has been producing and shipping Champagne internationally since 1772 when Philippe Clicquot made his first shipment to Venice. The contemporary estate of Veuve Clicquot own one of the finest vineyards in Champagne, 390 hectares in all, largely found on sloping hills that provide maximum sunlight. Champagne is not Champagne unless it is grown here. The region's natural characteristics, chalky soils, and cool temperatures all contribute to the wine’s iconic luxurious taste. La Grande Dame Brut is bursting with floral and vanilla notes, honeysuckle and vine flowers emerge on the nose, followed by the fruitiness of ripe pear and peach. This Champagne is composed of 10% Chardonnay and 90% Pinot Noir, a famously delicate grape that brings something different every year. It is more complex in the mouth, apricot and apple are driven along by a deep, crisp minerality. The silky and smooth mouthfeel is followed by a finish that is long, mouth-puckering, and deeply satisfying. Well paired with foods as decadent as the wine, consider steaks and roasted or cured meats.

Price: £163.32 from 8wines UK