Veuve Clicquot Unveils a Rosé Champagne Honoring Madame Clicquot

Veuve Clicquot has introduced La Grande Dame Rosé 2018, a new vintage champagne that the house says is meant to honor Madame Clicquot, the widow who helped shape the modern identity of the brand and played a central role in the history of Champagne. The release marks the 200th anniversary of the technique she used in 1818 to blend still red wine from Bouzy with white wine, creating what is widely regarded as the first known rosé champagne made by assemblage.

The new cuvée is the 11th edition of La Grande Dame Rosé since the line was created in 1988. Veuve Clicquot said it is produced only in years when Pinot Noir reaches the level of quality the house requires. The 2018 vintage, according to the company, reflects that standard through a blend built around Pinot Noir and shaped by a year of sharp weather contrasts, with a wet winter followed by a long, warm summer that helped produce grapes with depth and balance.

Didier Mariotti, Veuve Clicquot’s cellar master, described the wine as “generous and precise,” saying it shows the character of Pinot Noir through elegance and complexity. The house said the red wine used in the blend comes exclusively from Clos Colin, a parcel in Bouzy that was acquired in 1741 and later expanded under Madame Clicquot’s direction. The chalk-and-clay soils there are said to give the grapes structure and refined tannins, which are important for the style of the wine.

Veuve Clicquot said the winemaking process for La Grande Dame Rosé 2018 relies on careful selection in two stages and cold maceration to extract color, tannin and structure gradually. The result is a ruby-colored champagne with aromas that include cherry, raspberry and red currant, along with light spice notes. The company said the wine is intended to show both precision and richness while remaining tied to the house’s long emphasis on Pinot Noir.

The release also comes with packaging changes that Veuve Clicquot presented as part of its sustainability efforts. The new case is made with 100% recycled paper, and the company said distribution will take place only by land and sea transport in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. That approach fits into broader industry pressure on luxury brands to show more visible environmental commitments as consumers and regulators push for lower-impact logistics.

Veuve Clicquot is also linking the wine to its Garden Gastronomy program, which began in 2021 and brings together 14 Michelin-starred chefs from around the world to create pairings centered on vegetables and seasonal ingredients. Among those involved are Enrico Crippa, Kanji Kobayashi, Luke Selby, Lucas Brocheton, Dario Codanau and Michaël Vrijmoed. The company said the idea places vegetables at the center of the plate and uses ingredients drawn from gardens to build dishes that match the structure of La Grande Dame.

At the center of that effort is the garden in Verzy, where Veuve Clicquot says more than 300 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs are grown using permaculture methods on land connected to its vineyards. The house said this connection between garden and vineyard helps create pairings that reflect the same soil, seasons and harvest cycle that shape each vintage. Mariotti said La Grande Dame and Garden Gastronomy are closely linked because both come from land and human labor.

The launch adds another chapter to Veuve Clicquot’s effort to connect its current wines with Madame Clicquot’s legacy as an innovator at a time when Champagne was still defined by rigid tradition. By returning to Bouzy, Pinot Noir and assemblage rosé, La Grande Dame Rosé 2018 places that history at the center of a contemporary luxury release aimed at collectors, restaurants and consumers looking for prestige cuvées with a clear narrative behind them.