Jan 152012

With the launch of this website, obviously it would have been madness not to pop a bottle in celebration.  Life is full of so many wonderful occasions that need/should be celebrated by popping something delicious.  Enter stage right Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.

For the Germ’s birthday in November, we had a blind tasting to narrow down what really is our favourite champagne.  On the flight we had three premium, big house champagnes and one crémant de Loire. Kitty and the Germ both chose Veuve Clicquot as our number one pick.  We will forever continue these blind champagne tastings (SO fun!) and this year Veuve will remain on the flight.

Founded in 1772 in Reims, Veuve was an early pioneer in champagne production methods, still in practice today.  Their méthode champenoise  was a game changer for the industry and continues to be widely used.  Méthode champenoise  is when a second fermentation takes place in the bottle.  With this new method, Veuve Clicquot  rapidly gained popularity and favour in many of the royal courts.  Today it continues to hold warrants of royal appointment.

Kitty and the Germ are fans of Veuve Cliquot for many reasons–but it is important to note that we confirmed our preference through a blind tasting.

Here are a few pros regarding Veuve.  We love how widely available it has become.  Seek and ye shall find.  In the US, most liquor and big box stores like Target and Costco will always carry it.  It also serves as a great price point marker to know exactly how much it costs everywhere we go–because we can always find it and it is on most wine lists.   We also appreciate how consistent the non vintage Brut is and we have yet to meet a bottle we didn’t like.  The magnums (1.5 L) are frequently  considered higher quality and more delicious than their 750 ml sisters because less oxygen is used during the fermentation process (méthode champenoise).  This widely held opinion has not been proven and remains only a theory and a matter of taste.  I happen to believe that a magnum is more delicious.  Maybe it is the lack of oxygen, but perhaps it is the joy I feel knowing that there are two bottles inside which means more to share…There are some champagnes (I know who they are and will expose them during this champagne year) that induce heartburn with the first acidic sip.  Not Veuve.  Veuve is smooth, refined, not too delicate and gives you a  kiss goodnight as a finish.  Finally,  I adore their branding, packaging and vintage ad campaigns.  Orange also happens to be my favourite colour and they have simply done a smash up job on their marketing.  LOVE.

I do need to mention that their latest vintage release (2002) was not as delicious as expected.  Compared to its cheaper non-vintage cousins, we were slightly disappointed, especially due to price point consideration (double+)

Pair Veuve with anything, at any time of the day.   Be sure to always have a chilled bottle on hand and be ready to celebrate all of life’s big and little achievements and markers.

(on move-in day with pizza–perfection)

Champagne Detail#1  Veuve is the French word for Widow.  François Clicquot died 7 years after marrying Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin–leaving her everything.  His Veuve (Widow) took control of the small company, which at the time also had significant interests in banking and wool.  She moved the focus to their champagne production and showed the world that a woman can lead and create an empire–all hail the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.

 Posted by at 10:30

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