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Veuve Clicquot offers glimpse of 2006 La Grande Dame

Veuve’s Clicquot’s winemaker, Pierre Casenave, has hailed its 2006 La Grande Dame a “more balanced and elegant” version than the 2004 vintage.

The Tate’s executive chef, Vicky Lau with VC’s winemaker, Pierre Casenave

Ahead of its official launch later this year, the HK db team had a preview of the 2006 prestige cuvee – the first since 2004 – over lunch at Soho’s Tate Dining Room.

“There is 10 per cent more Chardonnay in the 2006 which brings an elegance, freshness and a dynamism”, said Casenave. “2004 was more impacted by Pinot Noir but 2006 is very refreshing and full bodied. And more versatile with food.”

The 2006 is made up of 53% Pinot Noir sourced from its grand cru sites of Ay, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzy and Verzenay and 47 per cent Chardonnay from the Cotes des Blanc grand cru sites of Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Ogier.

Speaking of the 2006 conditions Casenave continued: “It was an excellent year, we had a very cold winter which resulted in some botrytis but fortunately it didn’t impact on quality. Then September turned out to be very warm which gave us just the ripeness we needed.”

Explaining Veuve Clicquot’s popularity in Hong Kong, he said: “We are a gastronomic wine and Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan place which likes to play around with food and wine pairings. Drinkers here like the bolder styles of Champagne which we do very well.”

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