Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé 2012

A sensational nose combining the magical fruitiness of Clos Colin in Bouzy (the red wine that gives a truly ravishing soft pink colour) and the noble autolysis of a blend of very great wines. Here, the brilliance radiates on the finish. A masterpiece

A firm, chalky version, defined but detailed, with finely woven flavors of blood orange, strawberry preserves and almond biscotti. - Alison Napjus.

Maturity gives the wine toastiness while retaining the backgroud of fine fruits and texture. It is an impressive Champagne, as always: rich while also balanced, with a touch of minerality. Drink the wine now. - Roger Voss

The 2012 Brut Rosé La Grande Dame is the finest wine I've tasted from Veuve Clicquot in several decades. Offering up aromas of red berries, bee pollen, orange zest and freshly baked bread, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and precise, with a deep core of fruit and a vibrant, tightly coiled profile, concluding with a penetrating, sapid finish. This isn't the muscular, powerful Clicquot style of yesteryear, but it's a compelling effort in a fine-boned, more polished register. - William Kelley.