I’ll retell you a very interesting story about a young girl whose destiny brought her an unforgettable fame. The whole world knows this French girl under name “Veuve Clicquot”.

 

She was born in town Reims, capital of Champagne province, where most of the French kings used to be crowned. All this started on December 16 – a small girl named Nicole was born in the family of Nicolas Ponsardin. Her father was a textile manufacturer, and he could never imagine that his girl would ever become the greatest champagne wine producer. His ambitions were only to have a good carrier and give his daughter in a profitable marriage. He always wanted to give his daughter in marriage to a wealthy French nobleman and, in some way, to get some kind of a title for himself.

 

Thinking of these goals small Nicole’s father always wanted his dream to come true but the social and political situation developed in the country have finally ruined his ambitious dreams. So, he gave his elder daughter Nicole in marriage to his own friend’s only son.

 

The marriage took place in a cellar in secret, in silence, in 1798. Nicole’s husband became François Clicquot whose father also had textile manufacture. At the same time the Clicquot family owned a small wine-making concern in Champagne province. Unfortunately, François did not appear a successful businessman. He was more a dreamer rather than a laborious man. He wanted to develop some kind of farming and create his own brand but he could not realize it as he committed a suicide in 1804, though there were rumors that he died from typhus.

 

After the death of François his widowed wife, now already called “Veuve Clicquot” (“Widow of Clicquot”), Nicole Ponsardin (complete name – Madame Barbe Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot) has developed his dead husband’s farming that the wonderful sparkling wine from Champagne province became famous throughout the whole world.

 

This uncrowned Queen of Champagne has carried out the greatest revolutionary idea in champagne wine production. She entered in the champagne history as the author of progressive technologies. This lady has invented the hastening method of champagne wine manufacturing. 

 

What does it mean? As you are aware, the process of champagnization is very difficult and covers different technological aspects of wine at different stages. One of the important aspects is clearing, filtering the wine. How can this wine be so clear, limpid, golden, and sound while it is accompanied with excretion of different types of solid elements during the fermentation process?! It was just Veuve Clicquot who invented the so called Dégorgage method. This is a French word and means cleaning the sediment from champagne bottle with the method of freezing.

 

Let’s try to imagine it visually.

 

Till then all the champagne manufacturers used to store the bottles in horizontal condition and the sediment used to settle on the walls of the bottle. Later they used to remove this sediment from the wine with great difficulties and very carefully. Clicquot invented to place the bottle on a vertical stand after what the sediment slides down the neck of the bottle, and as the bottle is placed in this position the sediment is stuck on the cork and remains on it. Later, with the help of freezing this sediment is easily removed from the cork. This method of Dégorgage was invented by Veuve Clicquot and all current champagne producers should be thankful to her for inventing such a hastening method of cleaning champagne wines.

 

During writing this article I taste “Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brute”, which since 1987 joined the group, in which is included Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton (LVMH), Glenmorangie. Today we have one of the most expensive and prestigious product in the world. Tasting the wine Yellow label Brute (extra-dry champagne), I see the symmetry of the vineyards laid out in the suburbs of Reims that is so harmonious with Champagne landscapes. I see the portrait of this Grand Dame, the lady who besides great fame deserved the name of the “Uncrown Queen of Reims”.

 

The wine made of three noble grape varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier- has obtained aristocratic character. Out of these grape varieties only Chardonnay is white one and this marvelous liquid, which now I am holding in my hand is the “Assemblage” of two red and one white grape varieties.

 

Thus, what is characteristic to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – “Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brute”? This extraordinary liquid has the aroma of newly baked warm bread, as well as, the scent of white flowers, boiled butter, peach and ripe apple. These are the aromas that obviously give Veuve Clicquot more dignity but the taste is not less interesting: balanced, velvet, slightly playful and mischievous. With the unity of all these components “Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label” is very impressive. And, the “Perlage” (sparkle) pleasant to view gives us the feeling of felicity and enjoyment.

 

Champagne is a wonderful aperitif. We all know that matching champagne with dessert is pretty good but “Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brute” is a great accompaniment to any kind of dinner, be it in winter or in summer. Now, in this cold winter weather “Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brute” will warm your hearts and give you a wonderful mood for the whole day.

 

Temur Benidze