Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

La Grande Dame Brut Champagne Blend

9.375 ratings
9.315 pro ratings
Champagne, France
Champagne Blend
Squash & Root Vegetables, Meaty & Oily Fish, Shellfish, Crab & Lobster, Cake & Cream, Soft Cheese, Hard Cheese, Salads & Greens, Salami & Prosciutto, Pork, Fish, Chicken, Duck, Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Nuts & Seeds, Fruit & Berries, Beans & Peas, Exotic Spices, Turkey, Pungent Cheese, Shellfish, Oyster
Top Notes For
Jay Kline

Popped and poured; no formal notes as it was enjoyed quickly due to the setting and our celebratory mood. What I do recall is that this is a very fine Champagne however, it comes across a touch rounder than most 2008's at this level. The acid is sneaky however and I suspect time will reward those with patience.

Popped and poured; no formal notes as it was enjoyed quickly due to the setting and our celebratory mood. What I do recall is that this is a very fine Champagne however, it comes across a touch rounder than most 2008's at this level. The acid is sneaky however and I suspect time will reward those with patience.

Mar 20th, 2023
Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.4

Excellent but needs time still! 5 years and this will be sweet!

Excellent but needs time still! 5 years and this will be sweet!

Dec 21st, 2022
Conrad Green

Delicious. Light bright and fresh. Surprisingly accessible

Delicious. Light bright and fresh. Surprisingly accessible

Jul 5th, 2022
Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.1

Dunno, I guess the color of the label seemed thematically appropriate for Halloween, but does one really need an excuse for opening a nice bottle of champagne! This one showed up alongside a demo unit of the latest Coravin Sparkling Wine Preserver @coravin, which I’m putting to the test over the next couple of weeks. It’s been a few years since I’ve had La Grande Dame, and my memory of it was richer and more autolytic than this 2008 was this evening. Precise and taut with a nice balance between crisp apple fruit, citrus pith and a more saline and brioche quality barely scented with marzipan.

Dunno, I guess the color of the label seemed thematically appropriate for Halloween, but does one really need an excuse for opening a nice bottle of champagne! This one showed up alongside a demo unit of the latest Coravin Sparkling Wine Preserver @coravin, which I’m putting to the test over the next couple of weeks. It’s been a few years since I’ve had La Grande Dame, and my memory of it was richer and more autolytic than this 2008 was this evening. Precise and taut with a nice balance between crisp apple fruit, citrus pith and a more saline and brioche quality barely scented with marzipan.

Nov 1st, 2021
James Forsyth

Rose, spices, orange peel, lemon curd, toast. The 2008 Grande Dame is balanced and tasty. Would drink other bottles of this over the next several years.

Rose, spices, orange peel, lemon curd, toast. The 2008 Grande Dame is balanced and tasty. Would drink other bottles of this over the next several years.

Oct 21st, 2021
Chris McClellan

Super fun, lively acid and toasted apples and bready...simply drank in the sun...

Super fun, lively acid and toasted apples and bready...simply drank in the sun...

Oct 10th, 2020
Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.5

2008. Bomb.com... rich and elegant with nuance of fresh oak. It’s young and beastly but damn so fresh. I want to wait but tempted to drink my whole stash right now. Lovely!
*** don’t forget to sign up for my daily emails at Alex@nolimitfinewines.com for up to date offers on rare and limited wines at the best price USA***

2008. Bomb.com... rich and elegant with nuance of fresh oak. It’s young and beastly but damn so fresh. I want to wait but tempted to drink my whole stash right now. Lovely!
*** don’t forget to sign up for my daily emails at Alex@nolimitfinewines.com for up to date offers on rare and limited wines at the best price USA***

Apr 12th, 2020
Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.3

So young but so good. Time to load up on these 08s. We’ll be happy we did in 5-10 years. Gobble gobble

So young but so good. Time to load up on these 08s. We’ll be happy we did in 5-10 years. Gobble gobble

Nov 29th, 2019
Dr. Owen Bargreen

The 2008 ‘La Grand Dame’ by Veuve Clicquot is a revelation at more than ten years old. At this stage the Champagne is a tightly wound, monster of a wine, displaying deep diatomaceous earth tones that marvelously mingle with lemon oil and hazelnut aromatics that all are woven together in the glass. Rich, round and highly satisfying on the mouth, the palate shows shades of roasted pineapple, Japanese pear, kumquat, salted praline and suggestions of freshly baked sourdough bread. This is massive now and really needs a few years of bottle age before enjoying. Drink 2020-2040- 95

The 2008 ‘La Grand Dame’ by Veuve Clicquot is a revelation at more than ten years old. At this stage the Champagne is a tightly wound, monster of a wine, displaying deep diatomaceous earth tones that marvelously mingle with lemon oil and hazelnut aromatics that all are woven together in the glass. Rich, round and highly satisfying on the mouth, the palate shows shades of roasted pineapple, Japanese pear, kumquat, salted praline and suggestions of freshly baked sourdough bread. This is massive now and really needs a few years of bottle age before enjoying. Drink 2020-2040- 95

Jul 26th, 2019
Kristin the Wine Girl

Birthday bubbles popped for my 40th!
Impressive, did not disappoint. Bready vibrant nose and dry refreshing brilliance bursting with every micro-bubble. Liquid pale yellow gold.

Birthday bubbles popped for my 40th!
Impressive, did not disappoint. Bready vibrant nose and dry refreshing brilliance bursting with every micro-bubble. Liquid pale yellow gold.

1 person found it helpfulJan 21st, 2021