This advertising content was produced in collaboration with our partner, Veuve Clicquot.
Year after year, the holidays prove to be the most important time of year for sparkling wine sales, and there’s simply no sales substitute for Champagne. The U.S. remains the number-one export market for Champagne in both value and volume, with 27.4 million bottles exported last year—an increase of 500,000 bottles over 2023.
While wine consumption habits have shifted in recent years, premium Champagnes remain important on wine lists and in retail establishments—particularly the prestige cuvées for which top Champagne houses are known. During a 2023 press conference, the Comité Champagne shared that prestige cuvées were one of the top three Champagne segments shipped according to both volume and value.
There are few better-known prestige cuvées than La Grande Dame, the iconic top release of bestselling Champagne house Veuve Clicquot. Debuted more than 50 years ago to commemorate Veuve Clicquot’s bicentennial, this prestige cuvée, made from the best parcels in the best vintages, pays homage to the drive and innovation of Madame Clicquot. Now out with an incredible 2018 vintage, La Grande Dame is marking its 25th release with a special-edition, luxury collaboration that is perfectly packaged for gift sales.
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A New Benchmark for Prestige Cuvées
Veuve Clicquot has never followed trends. Rather, the Champagne house has been the arbiter of change for an entire industry, establishing techniques and styles that set the foundation for the Champagne region. It’s well documented how in the early 1800s, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin—also known as the Widow (“Veuve”) Clicquot and The Great Lady (“La Grande Dame”) of Champagne—invented the riddling method, which remains integral to the Champagne process today. She is also credited with creating the first vintage Champagne and the practice of blending white and red wine for rosé Champagne.
Veuve Clicquot’s La Grande Dame cuvée, first launched in 1972, pays homage to the Widow Clicquot’s vision and innovation. Its inception also set a new benchmark for the prestige cuvée category. Not merely a selection of the best parcels, it is both a celebration of terroir and of Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir is central to the identity of Veuve Clicquot and to La Grande Dame. Defying convention at the time, Madame Clicquot recognized how the grape best expressed the soul of Montagne de Reims. The limestone soils bring finesse and structure, while the cold climate retains bright acidity and freshness. Today, 10 of the 12 historic plots are planted with this iconic grape, and Pinot Noir remains the backbone of the house’s distinctive style.
To honor Madame Clicquot’s foresight and boldness, in 2008, the cuvée of La Grande Dame was transformed to contain 90 percent Pinot Noir, with a balance of Chardonnay. The blend is a fitting tribute to its namesake, who was Pinot Noir’s biggest champion. Various plots of Pinot Noir from historical crus are selected for their unique qualities, and when blended, they create a wine with elegance and tension. Chardonnay adds texture and complexity, completing the vision.
The 2018 vintage conditions elevated this prestige cuvée to new levels. The season “was one of the best harvests in recent years,” says Didier Mariotti, the cellarmaster of Veuve Clicquot. A rainy winter provided ample reserves for the vines, and a long, warm, and sunny growing season followed, yielding perfectly ripe grapes with nuanced flavors and aromas. The result, Mariotti says, is Pinot Noir that balances both structure and aromatic complexity. The 2018 cuvée blends the verve and backbone of northerly vineyards with the softness and elegance of southerly vineyards, creating a harmonious wine.
The La Grande Dame 2018 is lauded and highly rated by multiple critics for its finesse, harmony of flavors, elegant texture, and long finish. Fine, mousse-like bubbles and bright acidity frame orchard and citrus fruit flavors, while time on lees provides warm, toasty notes. Saline and minerality qualities weave throughout, creating an exciting tension. Fresh and generous now, the Champagne will continue to develop and evolve for at least another 15 years.
Leveraging Premium Champagne Demand
According to a Research and Markets report, the U.S. market for Champagne will continue to grow by both value and volume over the next 10 years. A preference for premiumization fuels this growth, and La Grande Dame prestige Champagne is perfectly positioned to meet this demand. The report also showed a consumer willingness to spend more on Champagnes as they believe it will enhance the experience of the moment. For both on and off-premise, La Grande Dame offers that elevated luxury that guests seek.
The report also showed that an aspirational lifestyle drives Champagne sales. Recognizing that a bottle of Champagne can represent more than just wine, Veuve Clicquot partnered with French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus for a special edition cuvée, available to buyers in the the New York, New Jersey, and California markets, as well as on VeuveClicquot.com.
The box makes an impact, wrapped in toile du Marais, while inside, the bottle is swathed in white linen. The Veuve-yellow lettering speaks to the sunshine of the vintage as well as the designer’s southern French roots. The presentation is not only elegant, but practical: the reusable fabric can be soaked in water and wrapped around the bottle, a traditional and sustainable chilling method. At a time when consumers are seeking out value-added packaging, La Grande Dame 2018 by Simon Porte Jacquemus fits all of their priorities.
Linking the past with the present, La Grande Dame speaks to the values of the house while connecting with modern Champagne lovers. As prestige cuvées grow in popularity, La Grande Dame remains at the forefront of the category with its quality, innovation, and elegance.
Dispatch
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