Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin la Grande Dame 1990

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Starting at: $310.67 USD

6 Reviews

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Winery:

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

Varietal:

Champagne Blend

Region:

France > Champagne

Type:

Sparkling Wine

Color:

White

Drink Dates:

Drink Now

UPC:

 

User Tags:  fruit, white, (tree) fruit, stone fruits, balance, peach, oak, rich, fresh, resinous 

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What to Expect

Champagne is specifically a sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France; every other sparkling is simply that, sparkling wine. Made to be aged for a few to many years, in many languages "Champagne" is synonymous with "party". When young, Champagne exhibits the fresh fruit tones of its "cepage", or blend. Usually based on a blend the features either Chardonnay or Pinot Noir as its main ingredient, Champagne's fruit can range from citrusy to orchard fruits and even red berries. The wine gains distinct yeasty notes from its secondary fermentation, the one that adds the fizz, which is typically described as recalling brioche or bread. As it ages Champagne tends to lose its obvious fruit, which is replaced by subtle nutty tones and subdued elements of dried fruits.

Winemakers Notes

LA GRANDE DAME 1990

THE VINTAGE
Following on from 1988 and 1989, both excellent years, 1990 broke every record by
giving Champagne three great vintages in succession. In terms of weather patterns over the three years, 1990 is most similar to 1989. After a mild, damp winter, the budburst came almost a month early. The vines were thus in danger from the Spring frosts which came in two waves, on 15 and 19 April, hitting nearly 12,000 hectares. The flowering began in the first two weeks of June, with cooler weather causing some mildew and millerandange in the more backward areas. read more...In July, Summer arrived. Temperature and rainfall were normal, but the sunshine was quite exceptional - totaling over 2,100 hours, it broke every record for the last 30 years. As the harvest approached, sugar levels soared while the acidity held well. Picking started in the second week of September for the Chardonnays, and a week later for the Pinot Noirs. The must was amazingly well balanced, with an average sugar level of over 10°5GL and an acidity of 8 g/l.
Apart from a touch of botrytis in certain Chardonnay areas, the crop for all three
varieties was superb, and remarkably even in its quality.

THE CUVÉE
The blend of La Grande Dame 1990 relies as tradition demands, on only eight Grands
Crus which are among the very finest in all Champagne. Pinot Noir dominates the blend, accounting for 61%. The grapes come from Ay, representing the Grande Vallée de la Marne, and from Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay and Bouzy, speaking for the Montagne de Reims. The 39% of Chardonnay is drawn from Clicquot's Grands Crus vineyards at Avize, Oger and Mesnil-sur-Oger, in the Côte des Blancs. February 1998

ON THE SENSES…
La Grande Dame 1990 is endowed with a most beautiful golden color, flecked with
green. It has a very tiny and delicate mousse. The bouquet has amazing finesse. First very fresh, with floral and fruity aspects (white flowers, citrus, white fruit). Then a little more exposure to the air ushers in a certain sweetness - jammy aromas, closing with the slightly toasty notes of roasted hazelnuts and almonds. In the mouth, one is struck immediately by its richness and pleasing roundness. Completely in the tradition of La Grande Dame, the wine is ample, very full, with flavors that are simultaneously creamy and fleshy (white peaches). Perfectly balanced with an intriguingly subtle freshness, its finish shows all the nobility expected of this quite exceptional vintage. La Grande Dame 1990 would be the perfect Champagne to serve as an aperitif to anyone who appreciates fine wine. It is also ideal to partner delicate dishes such as scallops, sea bass or John Dory, or indeed a plainly grilled lobster.    (hide)

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