2006 Veuve Clicquot Brut La Grande Dame

Winter was particularly cold and long and spring was mixed, but with good conditions for budding. Flowering took place in late June, in what was unseasonably hot weather. Summer was chaotic, with conditions in August more akin to those in late autumn. Fortunately, the vines were able to draw on their reserves to produce an abundant yield of superb quality.  We harvested a very fine crop between 14 and 29 September. At the very end of picking, there was some botrytis but it had no impact on the quality of the harvest and our meticulous sorting operation removed any damaged grapes. The young Pinot Noir wines were fruity and full-bodied and the young Chardonnay wines had lots of elegance and breed.  53% Pinot Noir, 47% Chardonnay. Dosage 8 g/l, disgorged January 2014. Pale straw. A little smoky and reductive on the nose but when a top-up is poured into the glass it brings out a lovely creamy delicacy, opening to minerally citrus. Very slightly toasty on the palate, with terrific fruit depth and concentration, cool deep citrus flavours, rich and mealy like a good burgundy but then with the Pinot structure and fruit increasing the weight. Full bodied, powerful, and terrific length thanks especially to the freshness, gently honeyed on the finish and elegant overall, irrespective of the power. This vintage includes the lowest proportion of Pinot Noir ever because they wanted to keep the elegance. (JH)

The prestigious 2006 La Grande Dame is made from 47% Chardonnay and 53% Pinot Noir, and assembles the fruit of eight grand cru villages. Very intense and complex on the nose, this is a full-bodied, round, rich and mouth-filling, but also refined prestige cuvee; it reveals a fascinating purity, precision and freshness. The finish is long and complex, and shows a spicy minerality. There are coffee beans, bread and toast aromas in the aftertaste. This comes highly recommended. Jun 2016, www.robertparker.com