Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Vintage Reserve 1998
I've never been a fan of the NV offerings from this house, however the vintage wines are usually good values. This Champagne is a very ripe expression of the house style, with good pinot noir to chardonnay balance, producing a powerful yet reserved mixture that one would expect coming from twenty of its Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. By comparison, the 1996 reserve was much better. Perhaps this could have used more time in the bottle. However, it paired beautifully with seared sea scallops and shitake mushrooms with slab bacon.
ROOSTER SCORE: 90





