# Veuve Clicquot Vintage Brut (2015)

- **Producer:** Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €88
- **Vegan:** No
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, orange, grapefruit, biscuit, brioche, pastry, toast, coffee, dried apricot, roasted almond, praline

## About this wine

Veuve Clicquot Vintage Brut is a distinguished sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France, produced by Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, a house founded in 1772. This vintage-dated Champagne is a testament to the specific character of the year it was produced, with the 2015 vintage being a notable example. The blend for the 2015 vintage comprises 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier, with grapes sourced exclusively from Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages. The house's winemaking philosophy emphasizes the structure provided by Pinot Noir and incorporates a unique technique of aging a portion of the wine in oak casks to enhance complexity. This approach, combined with extended aging in the house's chalk cellars, results in a wine that reflects both the terroir and the house's pioneering legacy.

## Interesting facts

- The first vintage Champagne was created by Madame Clicquot in 1810.
- Veuve Clicquot's vineyards are 85% Grand Cru and Premier Cru.
- A portion of the wine is aged in oak casks for added complexity.
- The 2015 is the 67th vintage declared by the house since 1810.

## Food pairing

The wine's pronounced intensity and complex profile, driven by Pinot Noir and oak aging, allow it to stand up to richer dishes. Its acidity cuts through fatty elements, while the wine's own subtle toasty and nutty notes complement grilled or smoky flavors.

## Wine making process

Veuve Clicquot Vintage Brut is crafted using grapes sourced exclusively from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards. The 2015 vintage blend consists of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier. A distinctive aspect of the winemaking process is the vinification and aging of 10% of the blend in large oak casks (foudres), which imparts complexity and subtle toasty notes. The remaining majority is fermented in stainless steel to retain fruit purity. Following fermentation, the wine undergoes an extended aging period of at least five years in the house's chalk cellars, with the 2015 vintage spending 60 months on its lees. This meticulous process ensures the development of a rich, structured, and age-worthy Champagne that reflects the character of its vintage.