Veuve Clicquot Rose 2008 (750ML)

93 WS / 92 DE / 92 WE / 91+ WA / 17 JR

Rich and smoky on first impression, yet this harmonious Champagne is elegant overall, with sleek acidity and a minerally underpinning deftly married to flavors of strawberry pâte de fruit, toast, mandarin orange peel and crystallized honey. Offers a lasting, vibrant finish. Disgorged March 2015. Drink now through 2028. - Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator

Veuve have re-introduced partial barrel maturation with the 2008 vintage; five percent of the wines were aged in French oak casks to add seasoning and complexity to the final blend. There is a slight bronze tinge to the wine, with a subtle nose of tangerine and red berries and some oak creaminess too. The palate displays flavours of vanilla bean, mandarin and cranberry, and a really incisive finish. Well chiselled and complex, this is only in the first phase of a long life. - Decanter

With an attractive touch of toastiness on this ripe wine, this is balanced and very ready to drink. In the house style, it is rich with a comparatively high dosage that gives it a soft character. Plenty of acidity and hints of red fruits provide a vibrant contrast. It is ready to drink. - Wine Enthusiast

The pink-orange colored 2008 Vintage Brut Rosé (disgorged March 2015) offers a very delicate, clear and elegant bouquet with juniper flavors. Clear, elegant and fresh on the palate, this is a round and well-structured, yet still very young Rosé with fine tannins and a nice grip in the finish. This is a refreshing palate cleanser that needs food or another 10-20 years to shine. Try it with pata negra or traditional Japanese dishes. - Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

Similar colour to La Grande Dame rosé 2008, only very slightly darker than La Grande Dame Blanc 2008. If someone were blindfolded they might well guess it was a still Pinot Noir. Big and bold. With a little more acidity and vegy streak than most Pinots. Ends like a 2008, with the vintage’s characteristic tightness but very bold and fruity. - Jancis Robinson