2012 Veuve Clicquot la Grande Dame Rose

The 2012 Champagne La Grande Dame Rosé is 90% Pinot Noir, with the rest Chardonnay. It’s a shade brighter than the 2015, but has the same classic, rich orange/ruby color. (They’re not afraid of intensity in the color while still making it clearly a rosé.) Thirteen percent red wine goes into the blend, and in La Grande Dame it is always red wine from Clos Colin. The wine has bright notes as well as deeper tones of kirsch, fresh violets, and rhubarb. Medium to full-bodied, its verticality, freshness, and tension make this one of the potentially great vintages of this cuvée. There is more toastiness coming through at this stage, with refreshing white grapefruit and delicate frangipane, and the mousse is refined and creamy, with good freshness on the finish. This is the 25th release of this wine. Since 2008, the blend has been 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay; previously, it was 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, reflecting an increase in the role of Pinot Noir in the style. No oak is used in La Grande Dame at all. Drink 2025-2050. The wines for this report were tasted at the House in Reims with Alexandra Doillon, one of the 12 winemakers responsible for the red wines at their Bouzy winery. This tasting focused on the rosé wines as well as a single-vineyard red wine from the 2025 harvest, which will also be used for rosé in the future. Each of the reds was tasted as a tank sample, and all were fermented in stainless steel.

Pouring an electric pink color, the 2012 Champagne La Grande Dame Rose is showing very well at this stage, offering expressive notes of apricots, rosy perfume, wild raspberries, and fresh baked pastry. The palate takes on notable tension, with a chalky texture, a refined and zesty mousse, and a citrus-tinged finish. Refreshing and dry, it should have a good deal of longevity ahead. Drink 2025-2040. Disgorged in February 2021.

The 2012 La Grande Dame Rosé is based on the same blend as the 2012 Blanc but with 13-15% still red wine from Bouzy. A Champagne of polish and sophistication, the 2012 exudes class. Crushed red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and rose petals open first in the bouquet before the textural richness of Pinot takes over as the wine fleshes out on the mid-palate and finish. This is beautifully done. Disgorged: February, 2021