2004 Veuve Clicquot la Grande Dame

As with the corresponding (and varietally identical) rose, Clicquot’s 2004 Brut La Grande Dame is vivacious and buoyant, with lemon and grapefruit set in entertaining counterpoint to almond paste and vanilla-tinged, tart-edged baked apple. Saline oyster liquor adds another, savory dimension in a lingering finish, while hints of chamomile and jasmine serve for aromatic allure. This delightful bottling might well achieve genuine profundity over the next two or three years. ||Imported by Moet Hennessy, New York, NY; tel. (212) 251-8200 eRobertParker.com.November, 2013

David Schildknecht, Vinous    Score: 91/100