Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame
The house's prestige bottle, named after the widow who made it great. The grapes come exclusively from eight Grand Cru plots, and the champagne is exceptionally fresh yet silky smooth.
Eight plots and nothing else
While Yellow Label owes its consistent taste to reserve wines from many years and many villages, La Grande Dame takes precisely the opposite approach. The grapes come exclusively from eight Grand Cru plots, the highest classification a Champagne village can have. That is a narrow base to work with, and that is the point: there is no broad blend to compensate for a weak spot. The bottle being poured now is the 2018 vintage, made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, without Meunier.
The champagne ages on yeast using the traditional method, with riddling on pupitres: the bottles lie at an angle in wooden racks and are turned by hand until the yeast sediment settles in the neck. These steps take time, and that time is in the bottle. The name refers to Barbe Clicquot Ponsardin herself, the widow who led the house from 1805. At 12.5%, like the Rosé, it is half a percent higher than the rest of the range.
At a glance
Fresh and silky at once
Floral and lightly spicy
A floral, lightly spicy elegance that is delicate rather than bold. You have to take a moment with it; this champagne doesn’t demand attention.
Silky
The texture stands out most: silky on the tongue, without losing the freshness beneath. Holding on to both at once is exactly what a prestige cuvée should do.
Long and crisp
The finish lingers, but without heaviness. There’s no layer of sweetness to soften it, so what you taste at the end is the wine itself.
The flavor profile of La Grande Dame. Floral elegance is delicate: serving it too cold or using a glass that’s too narrow matters more here than with an ordinary brut.
With oysters and caviar
Serve at 8 to 10 degrees and keep the top covered. The floral character is the first thing to disappear if the bottle has been left in the ice bucket too long.
With a platter of oysters
Allow 10 cl per glass and place the bottle beside a platter of oysters or a spoonful of caviar. The saltiness of the shellfish and the champagne’s crisp finish flow seamlessly into one another.
Glass: tulip or wine glass →Let it warm up in the glass
Pour 10 cl and wait three to five minutes. Straight from the fridge, the floral aroma is still closed; give it a few degrees and it opens up on its own. Hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl.
Champagne glasses →Open it without a pop
Turn the bottle, not the cork, keeping your thumb on it until it gives way. A pop costs you carbonation, and the mousse gives this bottle its entire texture. Pour in two stages so the foam can settle.
Bar tools →Serving it neat, and why
Be honest with yourself here: pour La Grande Dame neat. Grapes from eight Grand Cru plots and a floral, silky texture are lost in a cocktail. For the classics below, Yellow Label Brut is the right bottle.
Kir Royale
Crème de cassis topped up with bubbles. The cassis sets the flavor, so use a simple brut.
Champagne Cocktail
Sugar cube with Angostura and champagne. The bitters overpower any delicate aroma.
Negroni Sbagliato
Campari and red vermouth with bubbles. Bittersweet and low in alcohol, with no particular demands on the bottle.
Christmas cocktails
Bubbles with herbs and fruit for the table. Serve the prestige bottle alongside on its own.A glass that brings out the floral side
Here, aroma matters more than speed. A tulip-shaped glass or white wine glass gives the floral and lightly spicy aromas room, while a slender flute mainly preserves the mousse.
More flavors from Veuve Clicquot
Veuve Clicquot
Where it all began. Read all about Veuve Clicquot on the brand page: its origins, varieties and classic cocktails.
Go to Veuve Clicquot →
Veuve Clicquot Rosé
Copper-colored, full and juicy. Raspberry, wild strawberry and cherry, with pastry notes underneath.
View Veuve Clicquot Rosé →
Veuve Clicquot Brut Vintage
A single harvest, partly aged in large wooden casks. Apricot, fig, honey and mocha.
View Veuve Clicquot Brut Vintage →
Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec
Ripe, candy-like fruit and wine gums over freshly toasted bread. The house’s dessert bottle.
View Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec →
Veuve Clicquot Rich
Citrus and floral notes, full and rounded. Designed for ice cubes and one garnish.
View Veuve Clicquot Rich →
Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old
Made entirely from reserve wines, the oldest dating back to 1988. Silky-smooth, complex, and elegant.
See Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old →All about champagne: the types, best-known brands, and cocktails.
Questions about Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame
Didn't find your question here? Read more on the Veuve Clicquot page or check out our cocktail recipes.
All about Veuve Clicquot →What is the alcohol percentage in La Grande Dame?
What makes La Grande Dame different from Yellow Label?
Is La Grande Dame sweet or dry?
What should you drink it with?
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Buy Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame
Want the bottle delivered straight to your door? Order Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame online from Gall & Gall.
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé
Prices as of November 3, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can see the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; it doesn't cost you anything extra. No 18, no alcohol.
