Veuve Clicquot : Vintage 1982

Characteristics and tasting advice for the "Vintage" 1982 from Veuve Clicquot

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a beautiful golden hue enhanced by amber highlights. The effervescence is delicate and slow, offering fine bubbles that reflect its long ageing.

Nose

Remarkably complex, the aromatic bouquet reveals notes of dried fruit, salted butter caramel and candied citrus, subtly lifted by light touches of cocoa.

Palate

Despite its age, the palate surprises with its great youthfulness and pronounced minerality, highlighting a lovely freshness. The whole offers a perfect balance between the richness of its structure and undeniable elegance. The finish lingers with aromas of dried apricot and sandalwood.

Food and wine pairings

This great wine pairs beautifully with seafood and shellfish such as lobster, crab or oysters. It also enhances delicate white fish, roasted poultry, foie gras, as well as aged hard cheeses such as Comté. It is advisable to avoid overly spicy dishes or heavy sauces in order to preserve its full subtlety.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate the "Vintage" 1982, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 10 and 12°C, chilling it gradually in an ice bucket. Having reached full maturity after several decades of cellaring, this wine is ready to be enjoyed now.

The elegance and complexity of a great vintage champagne

The estate

Founded in 1772 in Reims by Philippe Clicquot, the House of Veuve Clicquot was truly revolutionised by Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin. This iconic figure profoundly shaped the history of Champagne, notably by inventing the riddling table and the first known vintage. Now owned by the LVMH Moët Hennessy group and led by Thomas Mulliez, the brand shines worldwide. With a vineyard spanning 390 hectares, the House continues its pursuit of absolute excellence, faithful to its historic motto of aiming for only one quality, the very first.

The vineyard

The estate covers 390 hectares across the most prestigious terroirs of Champagne, including a large majority of Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. Mainly located on the Montagne de Reims, the Grande Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs, the chalk and limestone soils offer ideal conditions. The vineyard is managed with rigorous environmental practices, with the highest certifications obtained and herbicides eliminated from most plots.

The vintage

The year 1982 is historic, marked by exceptional climatic conditions that enabled a harvest of unprecedented abundance. After a promising budburst in spring and excellent flowering in June, the summer proved hot and dry. Beneficial rains at the end of the cycle promoted optimal ripening. The harvest, which began in mid-September, yielded grapes of remarkable quality and health.

Winemaking and ageing

Faithful to the House’s exacting standards, only the cuvée, from the first pressing, is retained for the production of this wine. The "Vintage" 1982 benefited from extended ageing in complete darkness and at a constant temperature in the estate’s iconic historic chalk cellars, allowing for deep aromatic development.

Grape varieties

This "Vintage" 1982 from Veuve Clicquot is made from a blend of pinot noir (66%) and chardonnay (34%).