Veuve Clicquot Extra Old Extra Brut

We liked the fourth edition of this Cuvee from older reserve wines with a minimal dosage of 3 g even better than its predecessors. The Extra Brut Extra old 4 consists of 1996, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014, is less oxidative and has a fine fruit of lemon and orange and seductive toasted notes. In contrast to the maturation in our own cellar, we experience similar maturation tones with more intense perlage. The contrast between the rich roasted notes of coffee and the racy mineral freshness is very appealing. The 3 g dosage is just right here. The nutty, ripe tones combine harmoniously with the fruit, which is not youthfully dominant, but is present enough for a good drinking flow. The fourth release is therefore not as demanding as the third.

The Extra Old and Extra Brut is a very authentic champagne full of character, to which there are hardly any alternatives if you also have the price range in mind. With prestige cuvées, it is not difficult to find champagnes that have complex maturity flavours after very long ageing on the lees. But where else can you find this at this price? When you consider the effort involved in maturing such a large stock of high-quality vintages for one to two decades, the surcharge for Yellow Label seems low. Veuve Clicquot maintains the classic Veuve Clicquot style with this flagship of the brand, while Vintage and Grande Dame have been carefully modernised.

Richard Juhlin 93(91) champagneclub.com 1996, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and most of all 2014 are the vintages of this awesome creation which only consists of reserve wines and a dosage of 3 grams of sugar. Clearly the most inviting and harmonious of the 4 editions. More charm and more roasted coffee notes paired with rare orange-orange fruit in balance with the salt-sprinkled minerality and vanilla notes.

750 mL

12.0

Champagne

Pinot Noir & Chardonnay

Sulphites

• Extra Brut

France

Veuve Clicquot, 12 Rue du Temple, 51100 Reims, France